Trojans baseball star signs with Kennesaw State

LEESBURG — Justin McCalvin skyrocketed from JV to Lee County’s varsity ace in the span of a year.

On Tuesday morning, he made known his next destination — Kennesaw State, signing a letter-of-intent to play there after graduation. He is the first Trojan off this year’s team to sign with a college.

Kennesaw State showed an interest in him as early as last preseason, which gave him plenty of time to find a wardrobe for Tuesday’s occasion — he wore a black shirt with a gold bow tie, marking the college’s colors.

“They told me I could go in and start early,” McCalvin said. “The fact I could get playing time as a freshman was huge in my decision.”

McCalvin, who also was offered by Georgia College & State, was one of the main reasons the Trojans finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in GHSA Class AAAA and 14th in the country, according to Baseball America. After going 4-1 in 2008, he added a change-up in the offseason and then went, 9-1, last spring with five complete games and a .38 ERA.

“They liked my change-up,” McCalvin said. “They liked that, as well as the fact that not many other pitchers around my age have that right now.”

Once the Owls’ staff drove to watch McCalvin pitch a game, that was all the convincing they needed.

“They came down one day and watched him pitch, he had a great night, and then they got interested in him really quick,” Lee County coach Rob Williams said.