Jack Harper will enter his senior year at Morgan County High School already knowing where he’s going to attend college and continue his baseball career.
The Bulldogs’ slugger recently committed to play at the University of South Carolina-Aiken following his final season at MCHS.
Harper told the Lake Oconee News that he is relieved to have his college destination down.
“It takes a lot of stress off of my shoulders,” he said. “I can now relax and enjoy my senior year.”
He said that he chose to play for the Pacers for a multitude of reasons.
“I’ve been looking for a smaller school - that’s closer to home - and (already) has the major I want to study,” Harper said. “Making the decision (this early) takes the pressure off my back. It’s definitely a big relief. I’m glad that I chose USC-Aiken. It’s a really great school and I think I will do well in life there.”
Harper had offers from multiple colleges, including the University of North Georgia, Piedmont and Georgia Southern; however, he enjoyed USC-Aiken’s campus and developed a strong relationship with its coaching staff.
“Coach (Tyler) Miller, who is an assistant, reaches out to me at least twice a week. We have normal conversations,” Harper said. “I also liked the school because of it’s small. The class sizes are 25 to 30 (students) and it will be easy for me to learn there. My intended major is sports/exercise science, and that’s what a lot of the guys on the team are majoring in. So, that’s why I chose it.”
Harper’s skillset on the field was a huge reason why Morgan County made it to the GHSA Class AAA state playoffs. He also helped the Bulldogs reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017 before being swept by Franklin County.
The talented infielder had a team-high 11 home runs and a .415 batting average. He also drove in 40 runs on 34 hits during his junior campaign, while totaling a .556 on-base average and a 1.024 slugging percentage, respectively.
Harper highlighted that his approach at the plate this past season was “relaxed,” adding that it helped him earn Region 4-AAA First-Team honors.
“Being calmer at the plate and having a more relaxed swing helped me out a lot,” Harper said. “I give all of the credit to (head coach) Merritt Ainslie and all the other coaches at Morgan (County). It was really them that helped me simplify hitting. I know a lot of people these days get carried away with hitting, but if you make it simple, it’s just so much easier when at the plate.”
Harper’s admitted that his expectations are “very high” for the Bulldogs in 2023.
“I want to keep hitting, but also keep doing and being the best I can be for the team,” he added. “Also, not just me, but our whole team wants to win the state championship this year. So, I know everybody will work hard for that.”
Harper becomes the second player from Morgan County in the past few days to commit to play at the college level. Bulldogs’ rising freshman pitcher Ty Tillery committed to the University of Georgia last week via Twitter. Also, Ben Coody, who graduated in 2022, is entering his freshman season at Berry College.