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Bulldog puts up his Dukes
Stone Bridge High School rising senior outfielder Johnny Bladel has committed to play baseball for James Madison University, a Division I program in Harrisonburg.
The Liberty District's 2008 Co-Player of the Year was also named to the Northern Region's first team and selected as an All-State honorable mention, hitting .471 with 27 RBIs, both single-season school records.
"Johnny is one of the most talented baseball players I have seen at the high school level in my 12 years of coaching," said Bulldog coach Sam Plank in a press release, who further complimented his leftfielder on his work ethic.
Bladel joins a JMU program coming off its first Colonial Athletic Association championship with the best winning percentage in the commonwealth. The university recently extended coach Spanky McFarland's contract through 2012.
"In the end JMU felt like the best overall fit," said Bladel, adding that he could compete to be a starter as a freshman.
Bladel chose the Dukes over offers from William & Mary, George Mason, Radford and Longwood and also had interest from Virginia Tech, Villanova, Richmond and Appalachian State, among others.
To fill his summer months, Bladel played with the North Hurricanes, a showcase team for elite underclass players. He batted in the three-hole for the Canes, hitting .423 through July. He was named one of the top 25 juniors in Virginia by Impact Baseball.
With football season around the corner, Bladel, who has a substantial role in the gridiron Bulldogs' defensive backfield, wanted to have his collegiate future decided.
"I wanted to finalize my baseball decision so I could concentrate on football," he said.
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