Beavers' Hunter Harmon will play college baseball at Bluefield State
Mar. 3—BLUEFIELD — The Hunter has now found a home.
Hunter Harmon, a hard-hitting senior infielder for the Bluefield High School Beavers, has signed a letter of intent to play college baseball for Coach Drew Bailey's Bluefield State University Big Blues of the Mountain East Conference.
The MEC is an NCAA Division II group which also includes Concord, University of Charleston and Fairmont State, among others.
An excellent student-athlete, Harmon has a 4.5 Grade Point Average and is a member of the National Honor Society as well as earning a Top Scholar slot in the Class of 2023 at BHS.
"I am working toward getting an undergraduate degree in chemistry and pre-med. I have thought seriously about pursuing a career in regenerative medicine," he says.
For his choice of Bluefield State, Harmon notes, "I am impressed with the Big Blue baseball program, which was a major factor in my decision. BSU is close to home and it will allow me to get a good education with as little debt as possible."
Harmon has started all three seasons (baseball, like many other school activities, was postponed during the COVID-19 year of 2020.) He has been coached by Jimmy Redmond for the Beavers and during his high school career, Bluefield has won nearly 50 games in the past two seasons as BHS advanced to sectional play both times.
Assistant baseball coach Justin Lightfoot observes, "Hunter has been our 'Swiss Army Knife' on the team. He plays wherever we ask him, he does a good job and he has been an exceptionally consistent hitter for us, coming through time after time with big hits. We are glad to have him this spring and look forward to his success at Bluefield State University."
Harmon earned Most Valuable Player Honors in the Coppinger Invitational Tournament as a sophomore. Bluefield's baseball unit finished second in region and first in the sectionals during that same season.
He sparkled at the plate for BHS, hitting .490 and .563 the last two seasons. On the mound, his strikeout-to-walk ratio was 15-1 as a junior with an 0.64 Earned Run Average and he fired a no-hitter. Last season, Harmon played shortstop, first base, catcher and outfield on occasion. He had 53 runs batted in in 28 games as he also notched a 3-1 record on the mound and posted an 0.72 ERA.
"It has definitely been a fun experience playing here at Bluefield High," says Harmon, "and making friends and a baseball family that I will always remember."
"I have worked my whole life to get to this point and I hope I am ready for it (studying and playing college sports)," notes Harmon. He is the son of Timothy and Susan Harmon of Montcalm.
"I'm so proud of his hard work and dedication in the classroom and on the baseball field. I can't wait to see him live his dream at the next level," said Mrs. Harmon.
Mr. Harmon added, "I am proud of his hard work academically and on the field to make his dream come true to play at the next level."
