GUYTON — Two South Effingham High School seniors will get to play baseball at the college level.

Pitchers Josh Berg and Jakob Gross have signed national letters of intent with Savannah State University and Piedmont International University, respectively.

“I’m really excited to even get the chance to play,” Berg said during a May 14 signing ceremony in the South Effingham cafeteria. 

Berg, a four-year varsity player, opted for Savannah State because it is close to home. He has mixed feelings about leaving the Mustangs behind.

“It’s kind of sad, leaving my friends and all that, like all the underclassmen, but it’s like I’m confident that they’ll still do good,” he said.

Gross is sad that his prep playing days are over, too, but he is excited to head to Piedmont International, which is located in Winston-Salem, N.C.

“It's going to be hard but one of the things that was nice about going to Piedmont was one of my best friends that I played with last year that graduated, he’s  playing there and so I'll be able to play with him once again,” Gross said. 

Gross isn’t apprehensive about leaving his Mustangs friends and teammates behind.

“I'm not really as much nervous because at least I know somebody already on the team and the coach,” Gross said. (The coach is a ) real welcoming, very good guy so I’m not really nervous.

“I'm just really excited to get up there and get going.”

Berg and Gross’ signings means seven of the 10 senior members of the 2019 Mustangs will play at the college level.

“They’re very worthy,” Eubanks said of Berg and Gross. “They’re quality young men. Their parents have done a great job of raising them and they’ve been great ambassadors for South Effingham baseball.”

Eubanks said its not hard to see Gross and Berg leave his program, which is in its first year.

“It’s not hard to let go because my job as a coach is to provide them an opportunity to go on and to further their career, and that’s exactly what it is, a step in life,” he said.