Blackford signs with Vol State Baseball (Story and 38 Photos)

By Kris Freeman for White House High School

GALLATIN – White House senior Caden Blackford signed on Wednesday to play baseball collegiately at Volunteer State Community College for the Pioneers.

The senior first baseman and pitcher batted .402 with two home runs and 40 RBIs in his junior season, with 13 doubles and 41 base hits at the plate. Defensively, he was a .943 fielding percentage with 121 put outs, and pitched 32.2 innings with 46 strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA as one of the top two primary district starters for the Blue Devils.

Former White House lefty standout Dustin Palmer is now a member of Roane State Community College’s baseball team after completing his career this past season.

Blackford and the Blue Devils were the regular season district champions last season and finished 17-11.

Volunteer State Community College baseball has long been a successful program in the NJCAA and the Tennessee Community Colleges Athletic Association, competing with other community and junior colleges in the Tennessee and southeastern collegiate region.

Vol State was 21-25 overall with a conference record of 25-12, but fell 0-2 to Columbia State in the NJCAA Region VII Tournament.

Blackford was joined on Wednesday in The Burr Building at White House High School by White House coaches Seth Long, Jim Davis, Nick Timblin, Landen Sewell and Vol State coach Jim McGuire, along with his family, teammates and friends.

Photos by Sarah Wright and Angelene Cotto-Santiago