ROCKINGHAM — One afternoon on the baseball diamond at Brunswick Community College was all Tyler Bass needed to make up his mind.
Bass, a senior on the Richmond Senior High School baseball team, announced his verbal commitment to play college baseball at BCC, a junior college program, Monday via his Twitter account.
“I am proud to announce that I will be furthering my academic and baseball career at Brunswick Community College,” Bass’ tweet read. “I would like to thank the coaches that have got me into this position, and I’d also like to thank my parents for helping me throughout this long recruiting process.”
Making the trip east on US 74 to BCC this past Sunday, Bass thought he was attending a scheduled baseball camp. When he got there, he found out the camp was cancelled due to wet field conditions -- but that didn’t deter him from taking advantage of an opportunity from the Dolphin’s head coach, Robbie Allen.
“When I got there, I found out the camp was cancelled,” Bass, a middle infielder, said Wednesday. “So, it really just turned into a workout for me. Coach Allen invited me to stay and I hit and took some ground balls.
“Then he showed me around campus, and I really liked the place,” he added, noting his parents Ken and Lynn Bass were with him. “Coach Allen took me to his office and offered me a chance to play on the spot.”
What looked to be a day swamped out by rain took a positive turn for Bass, who will now spend the next two years dressing in Dolphin teal and white. He’ll also join former Raider teammate, and current BCC freshman catcher, Gordon Pihl in the dugout.
With his announcement, Bass became the fourth current Richmond baseball player to verbally commit to play college baseball. In September, Alex Anderson verballed to play at Johns Hopkins University, while Cameron Carraway (Wingate) and Garet Weigman (Guilford) followed suit later in the fall.
Fellow senior baseball player Nolan Allen is also college ball bound, hitting the soccer pitch instead of the diamond, at Piedmont International University.
“The program at Richmond is outstanding, and Coach Ricky Young knows exactly what to do to get you to the next level,” Bass noted.
Bass explained that he came home and took some time to discuss his options with his parents before verbally committing. At the time of his offer from Brunswick, he had already fielded offers from Division III programs Coker College, Guilford College and Methodist University.
Also “showing interest” in Bass was Wake Technical Community College, and the senior had also attended a camp at the University of South Carolina Union the day before heading to BCC.
Tyler Bass batting during a summer league game for the Richmond Rattlers.
“I took a day to think things over before I realized (BCC) was where I wanted to go,” Bass said. “I wanted my parents to be a part of the process, and wanted my decision to fit their needs to be able to come to my games.”
Bass dialed Allen Monday evening around 6 p.m. to let the head coach know he wanted to be a future Dolphin.
“It feels good knowing I’m committed and I don’t have to worry about anything the rest of my senior year,” Bass noted. “I’m really grateful for the chance to play college baseball.”
When asked what the difference-maker was for him to choose Brunswick over his other offers, Bass attributed the program’s “winning background,” among other things, for his selection.
According the the team’s website, the Dolphins posted a 29-22 record last spring, and went 31-7 overall in 2017. Brunswick ended the 2017 season on an 18-game winning streak, and made an appearance in the NJCAA World Series in Enid, Okla., as a No. 8 seed in 2018.
“The winning background and positive environment is what really drew me to the program,” Bass said. “I was able to be around the guys (Sunday) and watched their practice. It was so relaxed and seemed like a good fit.
“The school has a smaller campus but everything there is amazing,” he continued. “Staying close to home was important to me, and Coach Allen is one of the cooler coaches I’ve ever met. I’m excited to be a part of a winning program and play at the next level.”
A two-year school, Bass hopes by attending Brunswick it will propel him onto the Division I circuit for his junior and senior seasons. He noted that Allen explained that if he “plays well enough both years,” he has a chance to play at schools like UNC-Wilmington or Coastal Carolina University. He sees his time at BCC as a chance for two more years of development.
When he’s not playing school ball, Bass also plays for Purpose Drive Baseball, a North Carolina-based showcase team, and the Richmond Rattlers summer league team. Through his experiences, along with the help of recruiter Ken Carlyle, his dream of playing college baseball became a reality.
“Playing for Richmond and Purpose Driven Baseball has helped me a lot,” Bass said. “Ken Carlyle helped me a lot with the recruiting process, and all the teams helped develop me as a player and to be a better man.”
During his junior campaign for the Raiders, Bass played in 23 games and batted .275 with 11 hits, eight runs batted in and 18 runs scored. He had a .658 on-base plus slugging percentage and stole 12 bases.
As preseason workouts continue this week leading up to the start of his senior campaign, Bass is looking to enjoy his swan song season in green and gold.
“I’m just ready to play baseball,” he grinned. I really want to make the all-conference team, and most importantly, I want to help the team win a state championship.
“When I get to Brunswick, I want to work hard and compete for a starting position,” he concluded. “I want to thank my parents, Coach Young and Ken Carlyle for supporting me through this whole process to get me ready for the next level.
Bass hopes to pursue an Associate’s Degree in Science, and said he’s interested in pursuing a career in sports medicine. Bass and his Raider teammates will sign their commitment letters in an official ceremony on Feb. 6.
