By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Former Williams baseball pitcher Tate Jones, who played this summer for the Burlington Sock Puppets, has found his next college destination.
Jones has committed to New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) after one season at East Tennessee State.
“It took a little longer than I expected, but I don’t know if that was necessarily a bad thing,” Jones said.
That means there will be two players from Burlington on the team that plays home games in Little Falls, New Jersey. Catcher Landon Parker, a graduate of The Burlington School, was a freshman this year for NJIT.
Parker was a resource for Jones during the latest phase of recruiting.
“Landon was a big part of the process this go-around,” Jones said. “He was heavy on how he liked it up there.”
Parker and Jones have known each other since youth leagues, but they’ve never been on the same team before. Jones said it will be nice knowing someone at his new school – and a bonus that Parker is a catcher.
There’s also relief that he has a new landing spot.
“It’s so stressful, not knowing,” Jones said.
Jones had a 2-0 record with one save and a 4.24 earned run average in nine relief appearances with the Sock Puppets, a summer collegiate team in the Appalachian League. He struck out 18 batters, walked three, and hit two during 23 1/3 innings.
He said he hopes for another hometown summer assignment in 2026.
“That was some of the most fun baseball I’ve ever played,” Jones said.
Classes at NJIT begin in early September.
McCawley lands all-star honor in Northwoods League
Former Eastern Alamance athlete Kasen McCawley was selected for the Northwoods League All-Star Game last month.
McCawley, a rising senior pitcher for UNC Pembroke, pitched in the collegiate summer league for the Badlands Big Sticks, whose home is in Dickinson, North Dakota.
McCawley’s pitching numbers showed a 2-0 record with a 2.03 earned run average with 35 strikeouts and 20 walks in 26 2/3 innings.
The Northwoods League All-Star Game was played in Madison, Wisconsin.
