Summer's heat keeps building and becoming more unforgiving, but it hasn't slowed Brad Morton.
Chances are, it won't.
Open days now or at nearly any other time of the year are rare for Morton. He played center field in his final baseball season at Mount Tabor High School, jumped into American Legion play and then went through graduation.
He spent two days in Chapel Hill the first week of this month for freshman orientation at North Carolina, where he will play on a baseball scholarship. He came back from orientation and returned to American Legion ball.
Today, Morton will play in the East-West All-Star series of the Powerade State Games of North Carolina — the games are set for 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Wake Forest Baseball Park.
After the second game, Morton plans to head to Chapel Hill and move into his dorm room, and then start the second session of summer school Thursday.
Morton is proof that the adage "Youth is wasted on the young" isn't always true.
"My biggest thing is, I just like competing," Morton said. "I like playing against the best. I know a lot of great players try out for the State Games and some don't make it. It's an honor to be on the team and be able to play against great players. It's going to be just a lot of fun for me."
Baseball wasn't Morton's only sport at Mount Tabor. He started at quarterback for three years and helped his teams to a combined 32-8 record. He was named to the Winston-Salem Journal's All-Northwest team twice in voting by area coaches.
He also started at shooting guard on the basketball team as a junior and senior. And during his sophomore season, he played as a reserve on the team that won the NCHSAA 4-A title.
Morton will join a UNC baseball program that is among the nation's best. He says he's confident that the experience of playing in the State Games will have him better prepared for his first college season.
"Playing in the ACC, you're going to be facing a lot of good pitching," Morton said. "I know in the State Games, I'll be facing a lot of good pitchers, so that should prepare me for the next level. Just getting more at-bats and seeing the ball is going to help me take the next step into college play."
Morton caught the eye of the UNC baseball coaches after his sophomore season. He played on teams that summer that participated in several tournaments, and coaches from numerous college programs scouted those events.
Morton received an email from the UNC staff later that year that expressed interest in him if he continued to improve. Morton had grown up a UNC fan. His father, Walt, attended Appalachian State, but father and son often watched UNC teams play.
"At the same time, I'm nervous about starting my career at Carolina, but I'm actually really excited," Morton said. "Me and all the coaches down there have had a pretty good connection. I've met a lot of players on my official visit, and I met a lot of guys that are going to be in my class. They're pretty cool guys."
Morton is comfortable playing center field but wouldn't complain if he is moved to another position.
He wants to help his team win and says where he plays is irrelevant as long as he contributes. UNC's current center fielder, Ben Bunting, is a senior, and the position will be open next season.
Morton also said he'll be fine if he has to redshirt.
"I haven't heard anything about redshirting," he said. "They said that if I go in and compete, that I'll have just as good a shot as anyone else.
"I'm going to work really hard and try and impress the coaches. I'll just try to play my best and get a starting spot."
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