Clark To Play Division I Baseball Seven Hours From Home

VANDALIA - Two years of not playing high school baseball made recruitment more difficult for Carson Clark. COVID-19 added to the problems before the Vandalia-Butler junior ultimately made a college decision.

“I went to Florida in the fall and did pretty well,” reflected Clark. “That kind of opened things up a little bit.”

Mount St. Mary’s, a Division I school in Emmitsburg, Maryland - located 75 minutes northwest of both Baltimore and Washington D.C - took an interest and offered in April.

“I was waiting on some other schools but when this whole Covid thing hit, it brought uncertainty with the 2021 class and gave me a curve ball,” explained Clark, who in addition to missing his junior year of high school ball due to the virus, did not play as a sophomore because of an injury that occurred during basketball. “Wright State, Cincinnati and Ball State weren’t prepared to offer yet and were all going to see me in the spring and summer.”

The 29th-ranked uncommitted junior shortstop in Ohio decided the Northeast Conference school was the choice to make and now looks forward to an opportunity to face the likes of Central Connecticut, Bryant and Wagner in league play.

“I like the size of the school and that I’ll have a chance to play right away,” Clark explained. “Being a smaller school (2,300 students) was a big factor. I felt comfortable there. I have family an hour-and-a-half away and there’s not a ton to do which is good so I can focus on baseball and school.”

An improved game helped the 5-10 175-pounder attract Division I schools.

“I’ve gotten stronger and faster,” Clark related. “I’ve been training hard and I’ve gotten my 60 time down to 6.95 at a Wright State camp. I’ve been doing an arm-strength program and I’m  able to hit 90 running velo. My exit velo off the tee has also increased to 90. Hard work was a big factor in getting those numbers better.”

It has the 40th-rated 2021 shortstop in the state excited to become part of a D-I college program.

“It’s been a dream since I started playing,” Clark said. “To go Division I is a dream come true. It’s cool to be part of that. It just shows I’ve worked hard enough to get there, but now I’ve got to keep working hard.”

With the versatility to play anywhere on the field, including catcher, Clark believes he can be a major asset to the program at Mount St. Mary’s.

“There’s a certain type of energy I have when I play the game,” Clark explained. “I have a sense of confidence. I’m also a good teammate, and it’s not just on the field, I can help pick teammates up.”

Admittedly, going to school seven hours away from home was a tough decision.

“Distance was the biggest question,” Clark pointed out. “How often would my parents see me play? How often am I able to see them? But really, no matter if they’re only an hour away I’m not going to see them much. The more we talked about it, the more comfortable we all were with it.”

His father, Steve, has been the biggest influence in this baseball journey according to Clark.

“My dad has always been there for me, to go hit or throw or hit ground balls,” Clark noted. “He coached me in Little League and is an assistant coach now in high school. We’ve always talked about doing this, and now that it’s happening it’s nice to be able to do it.

“My whole family has always been so supportive,” Clark added. “I know it’s going to be tough seven hours away.”

A decision does bring a sense of relief for the left-handed hitting Clark.

“With everything going on, it’s nice to find a good fit for me,” noted Clark, who also credited Vandalia Butler head coach Trent Dues and summer coach Gregg Beamer with playing key roles in his recruitment. “I was a little stressed with it, so being able to commit .. now I can have fun and not worry about it.”

Instead, the focus can be on getting better as a player.

“I still want to improve in all aspects,” Clark said. “My arm strength and getting faster are the two things that can separate me from others if I can get better at those.”