jonas pope iv/herald sports writer

contributed photo Roanoke Rapids High School senior Jacob Dixon(front row, center) signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Tusculum College next year. Pictured with Dixon are his parents Cheryl and Edmond Dixon and high school coaches (back row from left) Henry Bridges (assistant baseball coach) and Mark Snead (head baseball coach). Advertisement

ROANOKE RAPIDS - Roanoke Rapids High senior Jacob Dixon has already gotten one major step out of the way. With baseball season still months away, Dixon has already selected the college of his choice and signed his letter of intent. Dixon recently signed a scholarship to play at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee.

A Division II school, the Pioneers play in the South Atlantic Conference. Tusculum has won the SAC conference tournament three consecutive years. With the signing out of the way, Dixon said he can just focus on having fun his senior year. “It takes a lot of pressure off me,” Dixon said in a phone interview. “Now I can just concentrate on baseball.”

Dixon has been playing baseball since he was a little kid and has always dreamed about playing on the next level. That dream became a reality this past week. “I'm excited about it,” he said. “It's something I've been working for all my life.”

“I'm so happy for Jacob and his family,” Roanoke Rapids baseball coach Mark Snead said. “He is a great young man with wonderful parents and brothers. All of the hard work and dedication they have put in over the years has paid off for Jacob.”

Dixon was spotted by Pioneers assistant coach Mike Corn this summer at a baseball camp at Louisburg College. Corn said he approached Dixon and told him he would keep in touch with him about coming to Tusculum. Corn said right away he was impressed by Dixon. “I really liked his attitude,” Corn said. “He was a yes sir, no sir kid and he had a great work ethic. He is the type of person we want to bring into our program.”

Snead echoed Corn's statement. “Tusculum College has just improved itself athletically, academically and as a college community with the signing of Jacob Dixon,” Snead said. “He is a great baseball player, a wonderful student and an even better young man.”

Dixon admitted that going to school in Tennessee was far away, but just one visit to the college had him convinced it was the place for him. “It's not a really big school, but everybody seemed friendly,” Dixon explained. “It felt like the right fit.”

Corn said he projects that Dixon, a starting pitcher for the Yellow Jackets, would get his chance on the mound, but could help in other areas if needed. “We project him in a closer type roll, but we will give him a chance to play some infield.”

Dixon expects to start the season on the travel team and hopefully work his way into the rotation.

No matter where he plays, Snead said what's important is he gets to continue his career. “For Jacob to be able to continue his baseball career at a top 10 D-II school that won 50 games last year is a big accomplishment. It says a lot about Jacob as a baseball player and a person that an excellent program such as Tusculum wants him to come play for them.”

Dixon is the son of Cheryl and Edmond Dixon.