Clay Dungan likes the way it sounds. After signing to play baseball at Indiana State on Monday, Dungan doesn’t need to say he is only orally committed to the Sycamores. He can now say he is officially bound to play baseball for the school.
Dungan is one of two Yorktown baseball players who signed to play at the Division-I level, the other being Purdue signee Jacob Preston.
“It was a good closure thing to get it done and over with,” Dungan said. “And make it more official that I’m going there, and not just to say that you’re verbally committed there, it was more real. And it was a good experience having everybody there who’s supported me and helped me get to where I am now.”
Dungan, a middle infielder, hit .380 with 25 RBIs last season. He said he heard positive things about Indiana State coach Mitch Hannahs, that the coach has a straight-forward style. He said Hannahs was often involved when the Sycamores contacted him, and that he was glad to hear from the program’s head coach.
“I talked to Brian Smiley also, and he’s their (recruiting coordinator), and I was kind of undecided at that point,” Dungan said. “And then the head coach gave me a call and just told (me) how he felt about me going there. And like I said, he’s a straight-up guy, so that was good to hear.”
Dungan said he plans to study physical education at Indiana State, and hopes to pursue a career in coaching baseball following the conclusion of his own career.
Before he goes to Terre Haute, Dungan still has one more season with the Tigers, hoping to improve on a junior season that included a trip to the Class 3A Bellmont Regional championship game. He will have the opportunity to play with Preston, another Division-I signee, as he chases that goal.
“There’s not many schools that have that,” Dungan said. “So it’s a good bond we have.”
Preston shares Dungan’s goal of moving beyond the regional championship game where the Tigers’ season ended last year.
Preston grew up in a family of Purdue fans, often traveling to football games. Like Dungan, Monday’s signing allowed Preston to make official an earlier oral commitment.
“It’s exciting, especially with a program like Purdue,” Preston said. “It’s a very good baseball program, and I’m definitely looking forward to being a part of it next year.”
Preston, a right-handed pitcher, went 6-1 with a 1.25 ERA and 73 strikeouts in the 2014 season. He said he plans to study business at Purdue.
Contact prep sports reporter Sam Wilson at (765) 213-5807. Follow him on Twitter @SamWilsonTSP.
Jacob Preston