Ricky McCleod will transfer closer to home after opportunity in summer league.

Playing in the Tidewater Summer League recently provided a new opportunity for a former King’s Fork High School baseball standout. After spending his freshman season at Chowan University, McCleod has plans to transfer to Bryant & Stratton College. He valued his opportunity to play in the summer league, because he was able to learn a lot throughout the season.

“It was good to compete, and I was being coached by a great coach in Gary Lavelle,” he said. “I was able to start for him and had some good innings.”

He felt so good about his summer league with Lavelle, he decided to follow him to BSC.

“I took some good things from summer league,” he said. “I wanted to continue learning from coach. I felt like he could really get me to where I needed to go. So, I decided to transfer to Bryant & Stratton over this summer.”

McCleod plans to be at BSC for a year and then decide on his next path. He feels like he has the talent to compete at any level, and he believes taking this route with Lavelle will help him get to where he needs to be.

“The school has a history of sending their guys to a Division I school after playing two years there,” he said. “I plan to do the same as well.”

McCleod valued his time at Chowan. He made six appearances in games at pitcher and totaled 12 shut outs. His family was able to come support him with Chowan not being too far away from Suffolk. However, with BSC’s home field being in Virginia Beach, he will be even closer.

“Even more of my family can come support now,” he said. “I will be looking forward to lots of growth for next season.”