Decatur’s Tristan McDonough this week signed a national letter of intent to continue his outstanding baseball career at the University of Miami. Pictured above is McDonough (center) flanked by dad Cameron and mom Heather with assistant coach Tyler Riley looking on.
Photo by Shawn Soper
Stephen Decatur’s Mitchell Orf this week signed a national letter of intent to continue his baseball career at the next level at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina. Pictured above of Orf (center) flanked by dad Timmons Orf and mom Sherry Orf with coach Tyler Riley looking on.
Photo by Shawn Soper
BERLIN- Two Stephen Decatur varsity baseball players this week signed national letters of intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at the next level following graduation from the Berlin school.
During a special ceremony at Decatur on Wednesday morning, standout Tristan McDonough signed a national letter of intent to play Division I baseball at the University of Miami next year. McDonough, who has excelled at every level in his baseball career, including helping to lead his Berlin Little League team to a state championship, is well-decorated at Decatur with a Bayside South Pitcher of the Year Award and a Bayside South Player of the Year Award to go along with two All-Conference First-Team nominations.
“Tristan is well decorated here at Decatur and he has earned every one of them,” said Assistant Coach Tyler Riley on Wednesday. “He is a very hard-nosed, hard-working player and we’re very excited to have him for another season before he moves his career on to the next level.”
Joining McDonough on the stage for Wednesday’s signing ceremony was teammate Mitchell Orf, who also signed a national letter of intent to continue his athletic and academic career at Queens University of Charlotte after his final season at Decatur. The speedy outfielder will be part of the very first baseball team at Queen’s University, which added the sport at the club level for 2018 and will compete in Division II the following year. The team will be coached by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jack McDowell.
“Mitchell is an outstanding outfielder and an absolute leader for us,” said Riley. “He’s very even keel and quiet and hard-working. He has an opportunity to come in and make an immediate impact at Queens next year.”
Both McDonough and Orf will be play important roles for Decatur in the senior seasons next spring. The pair has helped the Seahawks advance in each of the last three state regional tournaments, but the big prize, a possible state championship, is still out there for next spring’s Decatur team.
