LA GRANGE — Dylan Puchalski feels his senior year was his best, and Southeastern Community College took notice.
The North Lenoir slugger on Friday signed his national letter of intent to play baseball at the Whiteville-based junior college next spring.
Puchalski, an infielder who led the Hawks in extra-base hits slugging this year, raised his average 27 points from his junior to senior season.
Puchalski ended his final year in a Hawks uniform batting .324 after hitting .297 as a junior, per team stats at Maxpreps.com.
He will play for Kinston Post 43 this summer.
“I hit the ball a whole lot better (this year) than any other year,” he said. “I widened out (my stance), did what the coach asked me to do and just put it in play.
“I’m just ready to play.”
Puchalski, who said he plans on majoring in sports medicine, said he made his decision to play for the Rams over Lenoir C.C. and Wake Tech.
“The coaches and the (players) just seemed all really cool,” he said. “It just seemed like a good place for me to play.”
As a team North Lenoir struggled this season, finishing 6-15 and missing out on the state playoffs. But, individually, Puchalski was solid at the plate.
His .324 average was third-best on the team, and his 18 RBIs were tied for first with fellow senior Caleb Baird. He also tied with Baird for the most doubles (eight) and led the team with three home runs.
His .574 slugging percentage was nearly 100 points higher than the next North Lenoir batter.
“I think he should do OK down there. I’m glad he’s got the opportunity to further his baseball career,” said Hawks coach Jim Montague, who has now had 46 sign to play college baseball under his tutelage. “He’s one of the few that don’t want to hang his glove up yet. I wish him the best of luck down there.”
Montague feels that if Puchalski keeps working, he can continue playing baseball beyond Southeastern.
“It’s an opportunity to go somewhere else, because it’s a two-year school,” he said. “If he does OK, then maybe someone else will pick him up that overlooked him this year.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.