Bells' Morse signs with Hill College for baseball

BELLS — Landan Morse had to wait until the district portion of the schedule had already started before he could play the first game of his senior season.

Expected to be a key piece both at shortstop and on the mound, the Panthers standout stayed busy — and ready — for the moment he would be healthy enough to get on the field.

“It was frustrating because it was my senior year. There’s not much you can do when you foul a ball off your foot in BP,” he said. “I was able to keep my arm in shape. I did what I could to be ready for whenever I was able to play.”

Those traits are just part of the package that had Morse sign his letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Hill College.

He chose the junior college program almost immediately once they got involved in his recruitment.

“It was early on in the process and when Hill came along I didn’t have to look around,” Morse said. “When I went there I got to watch a practice, throw a bullpen for them and took the tour of the campus and I knew it was the place for me.”

Bells is currently 12-4 overall and 5-2 in 11-3A play heading into the second half of the district schedule starting on Friday.

“The focus is having fun, enjoying it because it is my last run at it and I’m going to miss these guys but also make another run, leave with a bang,” Morse said. “I’m excited for it.”

After missing such a big chunk of time, Morse jumped right into the lineup and is batting .444 with a .600 on-base percentage with four doubles, a home run, nine RBI and scored 10 times. He has a 1.46 earned run average and 24 strikeouts in 14 and a third innings.

Pitching is what he will stick with at Hill.

“I decided long ago if I was going to go to college, it would be as a pitcher,” Morse said. “I’ve been preparing for that since sophomore year.”

Last spring Morse was named first-team all-district as he helped the Panthers share the 11-3A title with Gunter and Pottsboro and were a win away from the third round after going the distance in an area round series with Grandview before coming up short to finish 24-10.

More hit .406 with 12 doubles, two triples, a home run, 23 RBI and scored 23 times. On the mound he went 7-2 with a 1.05 ERA and 81 strikeouts and 16 walks in 59 and two thirds innings.

His sophomore season was stopped due to COVID-19 when Bells was sitting with an 11-6 record and he served in a backup role as a freshman.

Hill is currently 17-13 overall and 4-8 in North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play.

Last season Hill went 30-20 overall and 17-15 in conference action and the Rebels were 15-8 and 3-3 when the 2020 season was stopped due to COVID-19. In 2019, Hill College went 33-19 overall and 20-12 in conference action and reached the Region V Tournament after finishing 25-23 overall and 15-17 in conference action during the 2018 season.

The Rebels have added several Texoma players recently, including Denison’s Zander Ramey and Whitesboro’s Kade Brewer and Scout Sanders.

“A lot of the players go on to the next level — Division I, Division II,” Morse said. “That’s a big factor too.”

This article originally appeared on Herald Democrat: Bells' Morse signs with Hill College for baseball at next level