The Bucs start here
By Steve Behr
 
When Trey Dunnigan and Adam Church looked for a place to attend college and play baseball, they took the advice of John B.L. Soule and Horace Greeley, which was “Go west, young man.”

OK, so Dunnigan and Church didn’t exactly hit the Oregon Trail and head to the Pacific Ocean. However, both looked west over the state line and will be teammates next season at East Tennessee State.

Dunnigan got there first, playing for the Bucs last season. He appeared in two games and is expected to take a redshirt.

Church was the Northwestern 4-A Conference Player of the year last year at Watauga. Both are playing summer baseball with the Caldwell County Post 29 American Legion team.

East Tennessee State assistant coach Clay Greene was in attendance at a recent Caldwell game to watch Church play and Church said he was invited to visit the school.

“Any college team can use a bat like Church’s,” Dunnigan said. “Every time he hits it, it’s hit hard somewhere.”

Church plans to major in pharmacy at East Tennessee State. He said he would likely walk-on at the school, but will receive instate tuition since ETSU offers that perk to anybody living in a North Carolina county that borders Washington County, Tenn.

“I guess I decided in high school that I could make a little money,” Church said. “It’s seven years of school, though, but it will be worth it.”

Dunnigan was optimistic about the Bucs’ future. East Tennessee State, which plays in the Atlantic Sun, has two players named to All-American teams. Paul Hoilman, a sophomore first baseman, was named to the Louisville Slugger third-team, while Hoilman and third baseman Bo Reeder, a freshman, were named to the All-Ping! Baseball team.

“We were real young this year,” Dunnigan said. “We’ve got some good pitchers coming in. We’ve got a lefty who is throwing about 93 that almost got drafted, so we’re looking pretty good.”

Church knows that he’s facing a much different situation at East Tennessee State than what he saw in high school. Several pitchers can throw in the upper 80s and even reach the 90-miles-per-hour range when throwing fastballs.

“It’s a lot of commitment, but I think I’m prepared for it,” Church said. “The faster the better. I can’t get my timing on the slower pitchers.”

Dunnigan said the baseball atmosphere in Caldwell County is intense and makes playing summer baseball enjoyable.

“You’re in baseball country down here,” Dunnigan said. “They bleed baseball down here and they love it. It’s definitely intense and it’s definitely a lot of fun to come play down here.”

Church said Dunnigan has helped Church with his hitting during the legion season and has helped prepare Church for what is to come this fall.

“He stresses the same approach to hitting,” Church said. “He told me that hitting is the same, just stay with it and look for the fastball.”