Vogelsong Reaches D-1 Dream With Commitment To Marshall

PORTSMOUTH - The desire to play Division I college baseball has been there since Elijah Vogelsong was little.

Mission accomplished.

“Baseball has always been my favorite sport,” the Minford junior said. “I had some D-II offers but my goal was D-I. That’s something I took seriously.”

There was a visit and offer from Rio Grande and workouts for Penn State and Indiana for Vogelsong. And while it took some time, the grasp of what he was looking for at the next level eventually hit the 68th-ranked 2021 in Ohio.

“I was playing with the Huntington Hounds last summer when (Marshall head) coach (Jeff) Waggoner heard about me,” Vogelsong reflected. “He came to watch, he started talking to me and I went on a couple of visits and we texted a couple times and I finally realized I wanted to go there.”

That came after the 5-11 175-pound left-handed hitting outfielder made strides in his game since the summer of 2019.

“I’ve really been working hard in the weight room,” Vogelsong explained. “The last time I went to a PBR my exit was 78 and now it’s 96. I’ve really improved there. My speed has also gotten faster. I did Driveline and helped my arm and I’ve also improved my fielding.”

A 4.19 time from home to first at the PBR Ohio Underclass Games II was second best among participants helping show off an area of Vogelsong’s play that stood out to Marshall.

“Coach Waggoner said I was fast and knew how to play the game,” Vogelsong said about what Marshall liked about him. “He said I have the style of play that would fit in well there.”

The ninth-rated junior outfielder in the state eventually made it official with a commitment to the Conference USA school.

“I really like the feel of Marshall,” Vogelsong noted. “I fit in better there than with any of the others.

“Coach Waggoner’s a nice guy and well respected and I look up to him. The campus had a great atmosphere and it’s really good academically. And I’ve always dreamed of going D-I. That’s what the goal has been.”

The 37th-rated uncommitted junior in Ohio at the time of his college decision believes there is a lot he can provide to a Marshall program that is expected to begin playing in a new stadium in 2021.

“Wherever I go I bring an attitude of winning and never giving up,” pointed out Vogelsong. “I give 100 percent all the time and try to be the hardest worker. Hopefully, that rubs off on the others and I can bring a team-first attitude to the team.”

His father and teammates have been big in his baseball journey according to Vogelsong.

“My dad helped me out a lot,” Vogelsong said. “He got me where I needed to go and helped me with my training, pitching and overall game. My teammates have also been there for me, too. There are too many of them to count. I’m just glad I’ve been surrounded by such good people, that’s really helped me out.”

A commitment admittedly brings a sense of relief for the Minford junior, who carries a 3.8 GPA and is considering a major in the business field.

“I went from worrying if I was good enough to go to college, to that I don’t have to worry about that any more,” related Vogelsong. “It’s all taken care of now. If I waited another year, I would really have been stressing about it.

“It was all pretty crazy,” Vogelsong continued. “From trying to play summer ball and driving wherever to see places, to trying to play football, I was really busy. There was no time to sit down. But it was fun and I tried to make the most of it.”.

Now the focus turns to getting better as he attempts to help Marshall advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1978

“I’d like to get faster,” Vogelsong said. “I feel I still need to get my seed up. I really just plan to work on every category there is, especially my arm, so I have a chance to start when I get there. Getting physically stronger is the main thing.”