If Lipscomb University baseball recruiters had been on hand Tuesday, they could have had their beliefs confirmed.
McCallie's Ethan Cady belted a second-inning home run over the right-field wall, a high and deep three-run shot that was instrumental in the Blue Tornado's 7-0 victory.
A junior first baseman, Cady has committed to play for Lipscomb.
"When I talked with other (recruiters) it was random, but talking with Lipscomb coaches we seemed to have a lot to talk about, so the decision was a no-brainer," Cady said. "They're laid-back guys, but they know what they're doing. They seemed to like me and I like them, but I have liked the school for a long time."
In 17 games this season, Cady is hitting .356 with four home runs and 17 RBIs.
McCallie coach Greg Payne believes, though, that Cady hasn't yet begun to tap his potential.
"He has tremendous pop in his bat. Everything he hits, he hits hard," Payne said, "but the thing is we feel like his best years are ahead of him."
Payne believes Cady could be a good left fielder or even a pitcher in addition to playing first.
"They're getting a really good bat, but as a player he still has to mature. He has no idea how good he can be. He doesn't yet fully understand the game," the coach said. "When he steps into the box he wants to grip it and rip it. He has a good arm and probably could be a wild-card arm for them."
Payne said, though, that as a pitcher Cady needs some refinement and invoked the name of movie character Nuke Laloosh, the pitcher from the baseball movie "Bull Durham."
"He's liable to get 18 strikeouts and 18 walks," the coach advised.
Pitching is new to Cady.
"I just started pitching over the summer, but I've learned a lot from Coach (Robert) Long," he said in reference to McCallie's pitching coach, a former big-league pitcher.
Lipscomb coaches mentioned first base, designated hitter and pitching before Cady committed.
"He's one of those guys that have to play because of the way he hits," Payne said.
Other area signees
Central High School's Sandrea Sylman signed a basketball scholarship with Freed-Hardeman Friday afternoon. Sylman, a three-year starter, averaged 21.6 points, 6 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game to help her team reach the Region 3-AA tournament semifinals.
Dade County senior Warren Smith, a 6-foot-3 wing, has signed to continue his basketball career with Georgia Northwestern. Smitih averagd 10 points per game last season.
East Ridge's Adrian Hart will sign track scholarship papers with Lee University on Wednesday, April 15. Hart is a sprinter for the Pioneers, having run the 100, 200 and 400 metters as well as sprint relays. He qualified for the state meet last year in the 400 meters.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765.