Gaston College shortstop commits to sign NCAA Division I baseball scholarship

When Enrique Wood came to Gaston College, he wanted to enhance his skills enough to play major college baseball.

Wood has done just that as he has committed to sign a NCAA Division I scholarship with North Carolina A&T on Nov. 9.

A shortstop, Wood hit .244 with three home runs, 27 RBIs and two walkoff hits last season for Gaston College in its first year of athletics in 50 years. He helped the Rhinos go 41-9 overall, win the Region 10 West Division regular season title and earn the first national rankings in school history.

This fall, Wood was recruited by Radford of the Big South Conference and North Carolina A&T of the Colonial Athletic Association.

"The campus is beautiful and they just changed conferences to the CAA," Wood said of A&T, which had formerly been a member of the Big South. "It's a very competitive conference. Coach (Ben) Hall is a great coach and I've been talking to him for awhile."

Wood, a former North Mecklenburg high standout, had started his career at North Carolina Central before the school disbanded its baseball program.

This year, Wood and Gaston College have high expectations in the school's first year of eligibility for National Junior College Athletic Association postseason competition.

The Rhinos hope to win the Region 10 regular season title, which would mean they would host a district tournament that sends its winner to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Col.

Such an appearance would give Wood a homecoming trip of sorts.

"We've been talking about going to Colorado," Wood said. "And I'd love to go to Colorado because I grew up in Colorado."

The son of a military father, Wood lived in Colorado Springs, Col., for seven years.

"I feel like we have a great team here," Wood said. "That's definitely our goal."
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