Lewton off to Wesleyan

By RICK THORP
All Adam Lewton wanted was an opportunity to play college baseball.

And after a stellar four-year career behind the plate at Wheeling Park High School, many schools in the West Virginia Conference extended offers.

But after careful consideration, the former Patriots catcher decided to cast his lot with West Virginia Wesleyen and coach Randy Tenney.

‘‘It basically came down to my major, which is going to be exercise science,’’ Lewton said Tuesday at Wheeling Park High School. ‘‘I liked the program they had for that.’’

Lewton, the son of Tim and Debbie Lewton, also considered West Liberty, Wheeling Jesuit and Seton Hill. But it was the Bobcats program that left the biggest impression on him.

‘‘Coach Tenney just made me really comfortable about going there,’’ Lewton said. ‘‘They’re going from a 20- to a 40-man roster, so they’ll have a junior varsity team and I’ll be able to get some early playing time.’’

Lewton just completed his third season playing for West Virginia American Legion Area One runner-up, and state qualifier, Wheeling Post 1.

Last season for the Patriots, Lewton earned first-team All-Valley accolades after batting .479 with 34 hits and 12 doubles. He also belted four home runs, three triples and knocked in 31 runners while scoring 33 runs himself.

Wheeling Park coach Chad Stout said Lewton was one of the building blocks behind the best four-year run in team history.

‘‘We lose a very knowledgable catcher,’’ Stout said. ‘‘And what’s special about him is that we had enough confidence in Adam for him to dictate what happened in the game. And that’s a credit to him that he was able to do that.

‘‘I called him our quarterback on the field.’’

Lewton will be joining some familiar faces on the Bobacts roster. Teammate Cory Brown, along with John Marshall’s Cy Mozingo and Wheeling Central’s Eli Popicg are also headed to Buckhannon.

‘‘He will be competing against guys that are just as good as him or better, so he will have to step his game up,’’ Stout said of Lewton.

‘‘He’s going to go down and compete for a job. It’s an opportunity and that’s all it is. It’s what you make of that opportunity now.

‘‘I’m excited for Adam because I think he’ll take advantage of that opportunity.’’