dillon porter

RUSSELLVILLE – Dillon Porter’s college signing wasn’t like any other signing, considering it wasn’t long ago he thought he’d never play baseball again.

Porter signed a letter of intent Friday afternoon to play baseball at Brescia University just one year after his last remission treatment for battling lymphoblastic lymphoma, a form of cancer.

Porter is expecting to recover 100 percent by the time he starts pitching as the No. 1 senior for the Panthers in the spring.

“This is amazing,” Porter said. “I never thought I’d get the chance to play college baseball. Actually getting this opportunity is great.”

Porter’s first full year playing varsity came last year just a few months after his last treatment. He went 1-3 with five starts with a 5.25 ERA. He struck out 19 batters and gave up 46 hits and 24 earned runs.

“It’s really special,” Russellville baseball coach Tyler Meacham said. “You’ve got kids now with obstacles they face with health conditions and it’s amazing to be where he was and then now he’s starting his senior year and already signing to play college baseball.”

Porter was active in swimming, soccer and the marching band on top of playing baseball when he was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma in November 2014. He had one at-bat in 2015 and slowly worked his way back to the varsity team halfway through his sophomore season.

There was one occasion when he left chemotherapy and immediately went to a baseball game to keep the score book in the dugout.

“I didn’t want to let my team down,” Porter said. “Even though I was going through treatment, I had to be there and watch them. I went and sat and kept the book and got sick a couple of times throughout the game, but I stayed through it.”

Through all the treatment, Porter said baseball was the motivation that kept his spirits up.

“Baseball has definitely been a big part of it because that has been my motivation to get over everything and push through,” Porter said. “If I didn’t have that, I wouldn’t have any goal in mind.

“I really hope this is a great year and I’m really looking forward to it with the opportunity to be the No. 1 pitcher. I hope everything goes well for the team as well, not just for me.”