Matthew Dillon heads from the locker room to Finch Field for a late-afternoon batting practice. Even in the 99-degree heat, he still talks about how much he enjoys baseball.

“I’ve always loved the game,” Matt says. “It is so much fun.”

A freshman at Guilford Technical Community College, Matt is taking a break from his studies to play for the HiToms. The right-hander, who also plays second base and shortstop for the HiToms, has pitched 23 innings during his nine appearances on the mound.

Home base for the HiToms is Finch Field, a 1,700-seat stadium originally built in 1935 by Thomasville Furniture Industries.

Just like in 1935, the league allows only wooden bats, but the Tommies know how to use ’em. During the afternoon practice, baseballs still escape over the fence and bounce across Ballpark Road.

The team is part of a 15-team Coastal Plain League which allows collegiate athletes to build their skills over the summer. Matt, 20, who lives in Trinity, joined players from colleges in Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and California.

This is the first year that Matt has played for the HiToms, whose grueling July schedule included 28 games in 31 days with practices in between games. When he isn’t playing or training, Matt squeezes in several trips per week to Greensboro Batting Center to work on bullpen and arm strength training.

All that means this — during baseball season, he eats, sleeps and breathes baseball.

“Baseball, every day,” said Matt. “That’s it.”

Matt and baseball go way back.

He doesn’t remember the first time he held a ball and bat, but his parents tell him that his first word was “ball.” Matt credits his dad, Joe Dillon, who introduced him to the game when he was barely old enough to walk. He was 4 years old when he wore his first uniform — for a High Point-Deep River T-ball team.

Over the years, Matt’s uniforms have been different colors, but his love for the game has remained the same. Matt has held a position on team rosters of the High Point-Deep River league and Archdale Parks and Recreation’s youth baseball team. He played for a team organized by Greensboro Batting Center for five years. In high school, he played for the American Legion Post 87 team based at Finch Field for two years.

His mother, Kim Cook Dillon, said that as a youngster Matt needed no urging to go to baseball practices or games.

“That was something that he always wanted to do and loved,” she said.

The 2008 Trinity High School graduate played football in addition to baseball. During his junior year, he suffered a football injury.

“I tore my ACL (anterior cruciate ligament),” said Matt. “I had knee surgery and it was a big setback, baseball-wise.”

Matt had a successful first year as recruit pitcher for the GTCC Titans.

GTCC Head Baseball Coach John Barrow said, “Matt was our team MVP this season as he led our squad in batting average (.421), home runs (7) and stolen bases (15). He was also a 2nd Team All-Region selection as an outfielder (he also played shortstop towards the end of the season). He set a school record this year for batting average in a season. Pitching-wise, he was second on the team in wins (4), strikeouts (56) and innings pitched (54.1).

“This was his first season here at GTCC. I think that the sky is the limit for Matt. He has a ton of natural ability and has really matured over the last couple of years into a great overall player. Naturally, we are counting on him tremendously this year not only as a hitter and position player, but also as a pitcher.

“I am very excited to see what he can do this coming season,” Coach Barrow said.

“I hope to see other kids grow as much as I’ve seen Matt grow over the past three years,” said Rob Shore, Matt’s high school baseball coach, who now coaches the American Legion team based at Finch Field. “He’s different in that he’s older and more mature. I think what has changed is that now he can see the fruit of his hard work on the athletic field. It’s giving him motivation to be successful in other areas of his life.”

Joe would agree about the hard work part. He kept count as Matt played 189 games over 31 weeks as a young teenager in a 14-and-under AAU league.

But Joe also believes that Matt has worked even harder this summer as a HiTom player.

“This year he has given it his all,” said Joe, who has attended every HiToms home game during the 2010 season.

Other family members enjoy the games, too — his mom Kim, brother Bryan Cook, sister Madison Dillon, stepmother Deiska Dillon and his grandparents Bobby and Carolyn Cook.

With an eye on the future, Matt would like to continue his connection to baseball.

“I would like to go play at the next level — professional,” he said. “Coaching is also a possibility.”

Coach Barrow agrees about possibilities for Matt’s future.

“He is getting a lot of attention now from many colleges and universities, and does have pro potential as well,” he said.

www.hitoms.com