Bulldogs sign letters of intent together
MILL CREEK — Tygarts Valley High School seniors Caleb Riggleman and Rece Wamsley both signed their letters of intent Wednesday to play baseball for Fairmont State University.
Riggleman, an outfielder, and Wamsley, a pitcher, said they are looking forward to joining the Fighting Falcons on the baseball diamond next year.
“I want to thank all my coaches through the years for their time and effort working with me,” Riggleman said.
“Throughout high school, my coaches taught us how to be a leader on the team and off the field as well,” Wamsley said.
Several of their coaches attended their signing ceremonies at TVHS on Wednesday, including Bulldogs baseball coach James Markley and Post 29 American Legion coach Chris George.
“These two have been playing together since they were 13 years old,” George said. “You knew when you first saw them they had the chance to be next-level players. You knew they would prosper and develop. They both can be very versatile college players.
“They are great kids from great families,” George said. “And they were a joy to coach. They’re fine young men.”
George pointed out that Riggleman and Wamsley will be rejoining another friend and former teammate, P.J. Lanham, one of their Bulldog teammates who graduated last year and is a freshmen catcher for Fairmont State this season.
TVHS athletic director Michael DiPasquale noted that Wamsley is the school’s valedictorian this year, and that Riggleman is in the top 10 percent of the senior class academically. They have each already earned close to 20 college credits while at TVHS, he said.
“They’ve done great things academically and athletically,” DiPasquale said.
Riggleman and Wamsley, who both also played basketball for Tygarts Valley, said they’ve enjoyed their visits to the Fairmont State campus and believe the school’s head baseball coach, Phil Caruso, has a good plan for how they can contribute to the team.