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Eric Sprott

Seneca High School’s Ryan Propes signs a letter of intent to play baseball at Southern Wesleyan University on Wednesday in Seneca. Joining him are his parents, seated, Anthony and Kim Propes, as well as, standing from left, Seneca athletic director Duke Lee, Seneca principal Cliff Roberts, pitching coach Nick Groomes and Bobcats head coach Andy Bay.

SENECA — Despite trying out for several colleges from around the state over the summer, Ryan Propes didn’t have to look much further than his own backyard to find what he was looking for.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Seneca High School senior became the second member of the Bobcats’ baseball team to commit to play at the next level, as Propes signed up to play with Southern Wesleyan next fall.

Propes said the decision was an easy one, as he cited the school’s proximity to his home, as well as the Christian atmosphere as the reasons to choose the local school.

“I was considering a few other places, but I think SWU was more on my mind because it’s closer to home and my family, and I can’t leave them just yet,” Propes said.

His decision to play in nearby Central also brought out a bit of collegiate pride from Seneca head coach Andy Bay, who played at Southern Wesleyan from 1994-98 under Mike Gillespie, who still coaches the Warriors.

“It’s real special to me because I played there,” Bay said. “I guess it’s a little more special to see him go where I learned how to play.”

By deciding to stay so close to home, Propes will find himself playing for one of the top squads in the National Christian College Athletic Association, as the Warriors captured a national championship just two years ago.

Southern Wesleyan also came within a game of playing for the title last season, and Propes, a member of the Walhalla American Legion Post 124 baseball team last summer, is excited about trying to help the Warriors back to that championship level over the next four years.

“I have a lot of shoes to fill, and I’m going to have to try really hard for this team,” Propes said.

But before that time comes, Propes still has plenty of work left to do at Seneca after a successful junior campaign last season, which has led to big expectations in 2009.

In what Bay called his breakout year, Propes struck out 27 batters in just 22 innings of work and finished the season with an ERA of 2.51.

Propes was a big reason why the Bobcats recovered from a 1-5 start in region play to finish fourth in the region with a 7-7 mark and advanced to the postseason for a fourth consecutive season.

The senior figures to play a key role in the Bobcats’ success again this season, as he will likely serve as both a starting pitcher and reliever, while also seeing some time in the outfield.

Propes will be one of seven seniors on the squad, including Anderson University signee Tripp Ross, giving the Bobcats the kind of veteran leadership Bay said could take Seneca even further than last season.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we have the potential to be pretty good,” Bay said. “It’s still a tough conference we play in, but you can’t help but be excited.”

And after months of preparation, Propes is looking forward to the opportunity to finish his high school career on a high note when the regular season begins late next month.

“It’s been a lot of hard work getting ready for all this, but I feel confident our team is ready for it,” Propes said.