BAY MINETTE — Jon Austin Harville joined the University of South Alabama Jaguars baseball team Wednesday with a "Southpaw's" stroke of the pen at Baldwin County High.

The high-energy BCHS senior lefty starter signed his NCAA national letter of intent to pitch for USA's baseball Jags with his parents Steve and Shana Harville of Bay Minette by his side. BCHS head baseball coach Peter Bezeredi said Harville was both a combination of wide-open enthusiasm and steady focus through the ups and downs of a game and a whole season.

"J A was a major part of our success last year for us in our run to the state finals," he said while mentioning Harville's exceptional playoff run with wins through Daphne, McGill-Toolen, Prattville and Alma Bryant.

"He has had a great off season too. Jon Austin always works extremely hard to improve and he is just a fine person and we're all proud to be associated with him and his family. He is a bulldog, a high energy, wound up bulldog for us out there and when he has the ball in his hands on the mound, we feel like we are in good hands, too. He has command of three pitches and he has worked hard to polish each one. He loves the pressure, too, and is always encouraging his teammates. He is and will be a leader again for us."

Harville turned in a 2.60 earned run average last year to go 9-2. He also struck out 86 batters in 70 innings of work in 2011 and was first team all-south region and an all-county selection. For his career, he has complied a 12-3 record with 128 total strikeouts.

"I have been working my whole life for this," Harville said. "It's been a dream of mine to play D-1 and my dad, too. I owe so much to him for helping me and all the coaches who helped me. Especially coach Bez and (pitching) coach (Scott) Daugherty and my whole family for supporting me through this. It just means everything. My dad got me interested in pitching and encouraged me and helped build a lot of confidence in me. And I just took to it. He really helped me learn the game and how to appreciate it. I really owe my passion for it to him. And now I love having so much control of the game and having a lot on me. Having the team depend on me. It's amazing and I love it."

Harville added that South was the best fit for him. "I just love it there and all the coaches and it's not too far and I always wanted to go somewhere where my family could still get to make a lot of games, too. Plus coach (Mark) Calvi (incoming head coach) and his staff really sold me on the program. It's an exciting time. South has a lot to offer."