CUMBERLAND — A Fort Hill standout made his college decision official Monday.
Peyton Blocher, a senior outfielder, signed his National Letter of Intent to continue his baseball career at Mount St. Mary’s, a Division 1 program in Emmitsburg.
“It feels pretty great,” Blocher said. “I’ve been at Fort Hill for four years. To have the program doing a lot better, it feels pretty great to sign.”
Blocher has been one of the key cogs in Fort Hill’s turnaround under second-year coach Tanner Brode.
Fort Hill finished 9-10 in Blocher’s junior season, its most wins since going 9-7 in 2017, and the Sentinels are 8-5 this year and are trying to win double-digit games for the first time in 20 years.
“I’m extremely proud of Peyton,” Brode said. “He came in and played a large role the last two years. This year, couldn’t be more proud of him, especially with how he handles things. Put him in a new spot. He was generally an infielder for us. He accepted a new role in the outfield, and he’s done a really good job with that.”
Blocher has a 1.000 fielding percentage this season and is batting .214 with a double, five runs batted in and five runs scored through 13 games.
Brode highlighted Blocher’s unselfishness at the plate, too.
“He’s even accepted going down in the lineup to allow some guys who have a hotter bat to move up,” Brode said. “He’s been selfless. He’s been a team-first guy. We’re happy to see it pay off.
“I think he’s going to do well (in college). He’s always at the offseason workouts. He’s in the cage. He’s a cage-rat through and through. Defensively, I think he’s ready to play right now at the college level.”
Mount St. Mary’s competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division 1.
Blocher will be the second Fort Hill player in recent years to play for the Frederick County school after pitcher Blake Beal threw 61 1/3 innings for the Mountaineers from 2020-23.
Another former area standout in Moorefield pitcher Isaac Van Meter also played two seasons at Mount St. Mary’s. The right-hander is now a senior at Fairmont State.
Blocher will suit up for fourth-year head coach Frank Leoni, who has 32 years of college coaching experience at Rhode Island (1993–2005), William & Mary (2006-12) and Marymount (2014-21) before coming to Mount St. Mary’s in 2022.
Leoni’s Mountaineers are 16-26 this season. Last year, Mount St. Mary’s won its first postseason games since 2008, advancing to the MAAC championship game.
Blocher is expected to play outfield. “Wherever they need me,” he added.
“When I went there to visit, the coaching was amazing,” he said. “They’re all very caring about the athletes. It felt like a good place to be at home and be cared about.”