AHOSKIE – Another Hertford County High School graduate is headed to play baseball at the next level.

Thursday morning Tyler Pryor signed a scholarship offer from Elizabeth City State University where he will play his collegiate baseball as a pitcher.

“They are an up and coming program and the school has a good program for my major (Pharmaceutical Sciences),” Pryor said. “Also, Coach (Terrance) Whittle showed the most interest in me.”

Pryor has been the number two pitcher for the Bears baseball club for the past two years and has been pitching and playing first base for HCHS for four years.

“Elizabeth City is getting an incredible student-athlete in Tyler,” Hertford County Head Baseball Coach Chris Towell said. “He is a good one in my book.”

The coach said he believed Pryor’s choice to attend ECSU would be a good one for both the player and the program.

“I think his desire is his strongest asset; he really wants to play,” Towell said. “I think that will make him work harder than a lot of other people. It’s just an overall good fit because he has the chance to step in and help them immediately.”

Pryor said he liked the chance to play early and to just be able to compete on the college level.

“I am excited about being able to play ball at a higher level,” he said. “I want to improve as a pitcher and become a better, stronger person.”

The HCHS graduate said he had learned how to work hard during his four years playing for the Bears.

“I learned I always have to work hard to get results in life and I will take that to the next level with me,” he stressed.

Pryor began playing baseball when he started walking and has played recreational league baseball as well as travel baseball and American Legion baseball in addition to his prep career.

Among Pryor’s career highlights at HCHS were a no-hitter during his senior year and a homerun he hits as a freshman against Jamesville High School in an Easter Tournament. The Jamesville squad was ranked number one in the state at the time.

“That group of four who started as freshman – one of which was Tyler – laid the groundwork for our program,” Towell said. “They had to start as freshmen and they took their lumps. They could have given up, but they didn’t and because of their fight and determination, the program has come to this point.”

Towell said he could always count on Pryor when he sent him to the mound and that he felt sure Whittle would have the same confidence.

During his senior year, Pryor hit just below .300 and had a slugging percentage well above .400. He scored 11 times and drove in 14 runs.