Usually a force in Group AA baseball at state tournament time, the Hidden Valley High School Titans plan to be back this spring after district and regional playoff action. Three reasons for their success in 2009 signed letters of intent with colleges last week and will play baseball at the next level.
Righthanded pitcher Thomas Kuhlman will go to Division II Limestone (SC) College, while left Nick Ferguson is bound for Lynchburg College in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. First baseman Scott Stillwell, injured for much of the year, is headed for St. Andrews College.
Stillwell praised George Canale, co-owner of The Yard batting cage (on Starkey Road) and a former major leaguer, for help with his hitting stroke, and Bob Mollenauer for work on his fielding. “I’ve got to thank those guys.”
Mollenauer’s son played for Hidden Valley last year and is now at Radford University. Local chiropractor Chris Lauria, a former college catcher, helped Stillwell work through back problems this year.
Ferguson sees Lynchburg College as “a great place to explore,” his baseball future. “Playing for the past four years on the varsity team [at Hidden Valley] helped me get here.”
Titans head coach Jason Taylor welcomed friends and family to the school library as all three signed letters of intent for the cameras.
“Baseball is what I want to do. It’s a great opportunity,” said Kuhlman. For now, he wants to focus on Hidden Valley’s postseason run. “We’re coming together as a team. I think we’ll go far.”