Eastside Baseball Trio Signs With Erskine

Eastside High School hasn't yet started its 2013 baseball campaign, but three of the Eagles' stars on the team already know where they're playing at the next level. 

Ryan Mason, Kyle Van Hoff and Brandon Barber all signed letters of intent Wednesday to play college baseball at Erskine College. 

Mason, an All-State and All-Region first baseman and pitcher, boasted a batting average of over .500 last year while belting five home runs for the Eagles. 

"It's just really nice having somewhere to play college ball," Mason said. "I'm excited about having a few more years to play baseball." 

Van Hoff, a pitcher, was an All-Region performer a year ago and said Erskine, located in the small town of Due West in the Upstate, was the perfect spot for him to further his academic and athletic pursuits. 

"I wanted to be not too far from home, but not too close," he said. 

Barber, a third baseman, named a Rawlings Pre-Season All-American the past two seasons, was recruited by Erskine to play any of the spots in the infield, and also fell in with the small Christian liberal arts school. 

"I just loved it," Barber said. "It felt like the right fit for me."