ikeston baseball standout Scott Droddy signed a letter of intent to play baseball for Florissant Valley on Monday afternoon. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat) [Click to enlarge]

SIKESTON -- Another Sikeston Bulldog baseball player is heading to the collegiate level to further his career on the diamond. This time it's Scott Droddy, who led the team in average, finishing his final season as a Bulldog batting .451.

"Flo Valley came through," said Droddy of his new school, Florissant Valley Junior College in St. Louis. "They were consistently on me. The coaches were calling me day and night to see how I was doing. The coach told me that he felt like if I could commit then we could get some of the other guys from the area to go with me.

"I was thinking that I was willing to pay out a lot, but if I could get most of it paid for then I'd take it," he added. "The coach said a full ride was fine. So, all I have to worry about is an apartment, and money is no issue for two years."

Droddy spent most of the season splitting time between shortstop and the pitcher's mound, where he went 2-2 for the Bulldogs. On the basepaths he was 9-for-11 in stolen bases.

Droddy said that he's excited about his opportunity to further his athletic career, stating that he's watched both Flo Valley and Hannibal LaGrange, his second choice.

"I've watched Flo Valley off and on," he said. "I watched them at Three Rivers earlier this year, and they're a decent program. They're just really young. This is the first year that these coaches have been there, so this is their first year recruiting, and they're going all out. It's just a building process and next year should be even better."

Sikeston head coach Kevin Self said that he's proud of his graduating senior for attempting to play the game at the next level.

"He's deserving of this honor," said Self. "The last three years he's been one of the clutch hitters we've had in the lineup. I think he'll do well in college and play well. He runs well, he has a good arm and he hits from the left side. There's a lot of things that Scott possesses that tell me he'll be fine at the JUCO level."

Droddy picked up 32 hits (13 doubles), 28 runs, 23 walks and 18 RBI this season in 97 plate appearances for Sikeston while batting from the left side. Flo Valley head coach Brian Behrens said that the left-handed swinging shortstop should fare well on his new field.

"He's just one of the guys that we think can help turn the program around," said Behrens. "He's a guy that knows how to play and he's a left-handed hitter. At our park that is going to be good for him and us. He's a guy that we think we can really build around and help get the program where we want it to be."

Droddy was part of a signing class that includes at least six other athletes from southeast Missouri.

"Within a week we already had four of the local guys coming," said Behrens. "I think it's going to work out well. It's good that these guys know each other and have similar backgrounds. It'll help us do what we want to do."

Bernie's Silas Dill, Dexter's Eric Windham and Oran's Steven Dooley are three of the other local products who have signed with Flo Valley.

As for his overview of Droddy, Behrens had nothing but praise for his recent signee.

"He's a guy that knows how to play," he said. "He's a good kid on top of being a good player."

Droddy will have a chance to show how good of a player he is in comparison to other athletes his age as he will be participating in the Class 3 All-Star game at Lindenwood on June 7. The Class 3 game is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

As for his success at collegiate level, that test will come in a few months as Flo Valley begins their fall season.