Chris Stiles | The Robesonian
                                Lumberton’s Jacob Scott signed Wednesday to play baseball collegiately at Gardner-Webb University. He is pictured with his parents, John and Samantha Oxendine.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

Lumberton’s Jacob Scott signed Wednesday to play baseball collegiately at Gardner-Webb University. He is pictured with his parents, John and Samantha Oxendine.

LUMBERTON — Lumberton’s Jacob Scott had nearly a dozen offers to play college baseball, and waited to make the decision on where to play.

Wednesday he signed with Gardner-Webb University.

The Pirate third baseman will realize the dream of playing college baseball.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Scott said. “Since I was a little kid I’ve been dreaming to go big and stuff like that, and this is one step closer to it.”

Scott picked the Runnin’ Bulldogs, who play at the NCAA Division I level in the Big South Conference, over other offers including both Division I and Division II schools, saying Gardner-Webb, located in Boiling Springs, was the best fit for him.

“I just really like the campus and the environment around it, so I thought it was best for me,” Scott said.

“He’s been looking ever since he missed his junior year (due to the COVID-19 pandemic), but people gave him a lot of looks, and I guess he was taking his time to figure out which school best fits him, as far as education-wise and baseball-wise,” Lumberton coach Jeff McLamb said.

Scott hit .259 with seven runs and five RBIs in 12 games in his senior season this spring.

Scott is the third player of Lumberton’s 2021 senior class to sign to play college baseball, joining Hayden Hunt, who will play at Francis Marion, and Bobby Baxley, who will play at Lenoir Community College.

“They’re getting a good baseball player, a hard-working kid,” McLamb said. “He’s going to do everything they ask him to do, and he should fit in good with their program. He’s worked hard for us the last four years, does everything we ask, so I think they’re getting a really good player.”

Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter at @StilesOnSports.