DuBose signs NLI with Southeastern CC

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 14, 2010 1:46 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Eric DuBose wanted a place where he could grow and improve as a baseball player.

Not many North Carolina schools suited him.

The Charles B. Aycock hurler considered Montreat, Methodist University, Brunswick Community College, Lenoir CC and Lenoir-Rhyne. None offered a quality agriculture program.

DuBose continued his search.

Finally, Southeastern Community College came calling ... again. The Rams coaching staff -- Scott Johnson and assistant/recruiter Daniel Rabon -- encouraged DuBose to visit their campus and talk baseball.

DuBose took the trip, listened and decided to sign a national letter-of-intent with the Division II junior college program.

"We went down there for a visit and I liked it," said DuBose. "I liked both of the coaches and it just felt right. It's not too close and it's not too far away.

"None of the schools recruiting me really had the major I wanted. I didn't want to go to a four-year school and get stuck there, and possibly not like the baseball program."

Southeastern CC, which has fielded baseball teams for nearly four decades, is slowly rising back to prominence. The Rams captured the Region X Division II championship last season, and started 2010 ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll.

Rabon feels DuBose has room to grow.

"He's got a good frame for a lefty," said Rabon. "We'll have him in the weight room this fall. Coach Johnson is great with strength and conditioning, is all about building up guys and getting the most out of them in the weight room.

"That's going to play a tremendous part for Eric. He's got a high ceiling (to grow). I think his best baseball is ahead of him."

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound DuBose is 6-2 this season with two complete-game shutouts. He's compiled an earned run average of 3.33 in 48-plus innings of work, and has logged 35 strikeouts.

DuBose doesn't overpower opponents. He uses a four-pitch arsenal -- fastball, curveball, splitter and change-up -- to keep hitters guessing in the box. He has good confidence in his fastball and curveball, but needs work on the change-up and splitter.

"If I get ahead (in the count) with my fastball, I like throwing a curveball and I can control it pretty good most of the time," said DuBose. "It's my 'out' pitch. The change-up ... don't throw that very often and I've started throwing the splitter a little more this year."

His strength this season has been his ability to coax hitters into either ground balls or fly balls. DuBose prefers to let the defense do the work behind him and has fared well in most of his outings on the mound.

Rabon likes DuBose's mound presence.

"Recruiting left-handers is something you take a chance on," said Rabon. "You don't find many left-handers who come in with good command and throw all of their pitches for strikes. That's going to play a big part because he has so many weapons as far as pitches.

"Even on days when he might not have his best stuff, he'll still have good stuff. He's going to be a tremendous help right away."

DuBose is the fifth Aycock player to sign an NLI to play baseball this year and will join current teammate Jordan Quinn at SCC this fall. Overall, nine county players have either signed or committed to play baseball at several in-state schools in 2010-11.

C.B. Aycock (22-4 overall) finished runner-up in Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference regular-season play, but upended archrival Eastern Wayne in the tournament championship. The Golden Falcons open the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs today at Wilson Hunt.