Blake Carpenter

The chance to both pitch and play in the field was too good an opportunity for Warren East senior Blake Carpenter to pass up.

Spalding University’s offer to let him do both was one of the main reasons Carpenter said he signed with the Golden Eagles on Wednesday at a ceremony in the WEHS cafeteria.

“I had it down to Southern Indiana and Spalding,” Carpenter said. “When it came down to it, I would’ve gotten playing time earlier at Spalding and got to play two ways there. … I hadn’t really decided which one I wanted to do more and they’ll let me do both in college.”

The left-hander will play the outfield when he’s not on the mound for Spalding. He has potential both ways, Raiders coach Wes Sanford said.

“He’s going to go up there and build confidence,” Sanford said. “On the mound he’ll only get better.

“Offensively, there’s room to grow, but I think he can handle the pitching now and be successful. … He doesn’t have home-run pop, but he’s got gap-to-gap pop so that’s something they really liked.”

Carpenter has dealt with a hamstring pull that’s limited his senior season. He hasn’t appeared regularly in the lineup since East’s series against Greenwood last month.

Carpenter has taken some at-bats during that time as the Raiders try to ease him back onto the field.

Should No. 4-seed Warren East advance past No. 5-seed Warren Central in the District 14 Tournament on Monday, Carpenter would pitch Tuesday against top-seed South Warren, Sanford said.

“It’s really exciting,” Carpenter said. “With the talent we have, I think we’ve got a chance to make some noise in the district tournament.”

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