Norwin’s Nick Fleming commits to Mount St. Mary’s baseball

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, July 31, 2020 | 10:56 PM

The timing wasn’t exactly precise, not like he had envisioned, but Nick Fleming still was all smiles Friday night after deciding on his baseball future.

The senior-to-be at Norwin announced a verbal commitment to Mount St. Mary’s of the NCAA Division I Northeast Conference.

“Well, obviously I didn’t expect to commit during a global pandemic,” Fleming said. “Besides that, when I envisioned committing to a college, I pictured that I’d be surrounded by my mom, dad and brother. That was 100 percent how it happened, too.

“This past week, we had been discussing the pros and cons of each university. In the end, I went with the university that best fit me.”

Fleming, an outfielder, also had an offer from Gardner Webb, which landed Hempfield rising senior pitcher/outfielder Phil Fox on Thursday night.

A power hitter who plays in the Ohio Class B 18-U Summer League in Youngstown for team Creekside Fitness, Fleming batted .333 with 12 RBIs, 12 runs, two doubles and a home run as a sophomore at Norwin. The coronavirus forced the PIAA to cancel spring sports in 2020, so Fleming did not have a junior season.

Mount St. Mary’s, located in Emmitsburg, Md., caught Fleming’s attention about two weeks ago when it offered.

Fleming, who does well in the classroom, is in line to be Norwin’s quarterback this fall. When the WPIAL decided Friday to cut the first three weeks off the regular season and start play Sept. 10, Fleming bumped up his plans.

While he had considered waiting to see if any football offers came in after this season, Fleming opted not to delay and to take a baseball offer that was on the table.

“My decision was made based on the complete uncertainty this football season presents,” he said. “Once the WPIAL decided to reduce the schedule to seven games, I figured it was time to make a decision. Mount St. Mary’s is a beautiful school, will provide me a top-tier education, I can play Division I baseball and it’s within three hours of North Huntingdon. I simply could not beat it.”

Committed???????? Mount St. Mary’s '25 pic.twitter.com/8l6ph2tyS9

— Nick Fleming (@nickfleming03) July 31, 2020

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin