Abbott, Suggs ink with with Florida, Young Harris
Published 9:37 pm Wednesday, November 13, 2013
- Blake Suggs, Tift head baseball coach Kyle Kirk and Alex Abbott were all smiles Wednesday after Suggs and Abbott signed to continue their baseball careers after high school. Suggs will be going to play at Young Harris College, while Abbott will be a part of the program at the University of Florida.
Even though it is almost three months before high school baseball season begins, two Tift County Blue Devil players will know where they will be going to school following their time as Blue Devils.
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Before family, friends and fans Wednesday afternoon at the school, Alex Abbott inked with the University of Florida Gators and Blake Suggs signed with the Young Harris College Mountain Lions.
Returning for their senioir years at Tift County in 2014, Abbott and Suggs helped lead the Devils to a state quarterfinal appearance last season, falling to Walton, two games to one in a best-of-3 series.
Before the signing, Tift head coach Kyle Kirk told the audience. “I am excited that Alex and Blake will be able to further their education and play a little baseball along the way.
“Their work ethic speaks for itself. I am very proud of both of them.”
Athletic Director Rusty Smith also spoke, “You as parents should be proud of these young men.”
He added that while he would love to see both of them play in the major leagues, he wanted them to use their education, “I want to see you with a degree.”
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Ranked as one of the state’s top players in his class during his high school career, Abbott said that Florida has always been on the top of his wish list for schools.
“I have always just liked them,” said Abbott. “They always have a great baseball team, and their coaches are great. It is also great being just two hours from home.”
In an e-mail, Florida head coach Kevin O’Sullivan said of Abbott, “We are extremely excited about adding Alex to the Gator baseball program. Alex has a very bright future ahead of him and we are looking forward to working with him. We expect Alex to be an outstanding player at Florida and to make an immediate impact on our team.”
Suggs said simply about his college choice,”I am happy to be a Mountain Lion.
“I like the (college’s) setting and they play real good baseball. They also have excellent academics.”
As far as his academics, Suggs said he would is considering pre-law, but he is also thinking about getting something in education, as “I would like to be a high school baseball coach.”
Suggs also considered Georgia Southwestern and Berry.
Young Harris is in its second year as a Division II program, and plays in the Peach Belt Conference.
