MSM 2012 College Baseball Preview by Mississippi Sports Magazine

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BCS BUSTER... Southern Miss pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season, beating No. 6 Houston 49-28 to win its fifth league championship but first C-USA title game. It was an impressive defensive performance, one that featured the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eighth interception return for a touchdown of the season to set a FBS record. The win gave Southern Miss a school record 11 wins. The school had only two 10-win seasons over its first 100 years since the program began. This also is the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 18th straight winning season, the fourth longest streak in the FBS behind Florida State, Florida and Virginia Tech.

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ARE HUGH READY? Hugh Freeze was announced on December 5th as the 37th head football coach of the Ole Miss Rebels. Freeze worked on the Ole Miss staff from 2005 to 2007, spending two seasons as an assistant coach, before becoming head coach at Lambuth University for two seasons. He spent one year as ASUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offensive coordinator before being promoted to its head coach before this season. He led the Red Wolves to a 10-2 record and a Sun Belt conference title, earning a bid to the GoDaddy.com bowl. Former Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt was fired in November.

Photo Courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information

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SWEET MUSIC ... Coach Dan Mullen, Senior DB Charles Mitchell (4) and Music City Bowl MVP Vick Ballard celebrate the Dawgs second straight bowl victory as they defeated Wake Forest 23-17 on December 30th. The bowl win was Mississippi Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fifth in-a-row. Head coach Dan Mullen guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since the school went to three straight bowls from 1998-2000 under Jackie Sherrill when the team went 26-11 duringbythat stretch. Photo Bobby McDuffie, Ocean Springs 6 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

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Volume 4, Issue 3 2012 College Baseball Preview

Published by Pevey Publishing, LLC Publishers Greg & Mendy Pevey Featured Columnists Jake Adams, Brian Hadad Contributing Writers John Davis, Paul Jones, Lanny Mixon, Nash Nunnery, Chuck Stinson Contributing Photographers Bobby McDuffie, Greg Pevey, James Pugh, Sports Information Offices of: Delta State University, Miss. College, Mississippi State Univeristy, Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Belhaven University, Miss. College, Jackson State University Advertising Sales Greg Pevey, publisher@mssportsmagazine.com

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MSM 2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

Contents...

Inside... 12 JAKE’S TAKE:

2012 College BASEBALL Preview

JAKE ADAMS

The Kennedy Conundrum

13 THE DAWGHOUSE:

BRIAN HADAD

The Boys of Late Winter/

Early Spring

14 “RUBE”

A special tribute to our friend Michael Rubenstein

18 AN INNER CITY REVIVAL

Brian Emory of Jackson RBI is helping develop inner city baseball in the Jackson/ Metro area

22 ONE OF THE BEST

inductee and former Bulldog

THE ACTION STARTS ON PAGE

great Jeff Brantley

24 GIANT STRIDES

Photo by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine

“RUBE”

Moneyball

We look back on the life and career of our friend Michael Rubenstein

- By Nash Nunnery

Eli Whiteside has come a long way since his days in

LEGENDS

2011 MS Sports Hall of Fame

the Mississippi Delta at DSU

What’s Next in MSM?

MLB

Chad Bradford was used to seeing himself on television. But seeing himself on the silver screen was a whole new ballgame.

- By Chuck Stinson

To Contact MSM > LETTERS, STORY IDEAS AND PHOTO SUBMISSIONS • Email MSM at publisher@mssportsmagazine.com or mail to Mississippi Sports Magazine, 405 Knights Cove West, Brandon, Mississippi 39047. Letters should include writer’s full name, address and home phone number and may be edited for clarity and space.

SIGN’EM UP! Signing day is just ahead and every schools fans believe they signed the best recruiting class in Mississippi. Our writers will grade each class and let you know which players could make an impact during the 2012 football season. We will also have our first MS Golf spotlight highlighting the best on the links of Mississippi.

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 11

JAKE’S TAKE Follow Jake Adams on Twitter® @adamsjaken

The Kennedy Conundrum By JAKE ADAMS

Featured Columnist

s Ole Miss grinds its way into the heart of its Southeastern Conference schedule with double-digit wins, but already looking somewhat less than NCAA Tournament worthy, there’s a decision that can be seen looming on the March horizon. I call it - “The Kennedy Conundrum”. It may sound like a movie starring Matt Damon, but it’s actually a real problem created by Kennedy’s success…and lack thereof. So what is the Kennedy Conundrum? The Kennedy Conundrum is being the fastest coach in Ole Miss history to 100 wins, reaching the mark in less than five full seasons, while never actually reaching the NCAA Tournament. It’s being for the most part a Class A citizen but for that blot forever found on any Andy Kennedy Google search created by an unfortunate and very public incident involving alcohol, a cab driver in Cincinnati and an unseemly police video tape. The Kennedy Conundrum is finding diamonds in the rough like Chris Warren and Terrico White and watching them have successive fantastic freshman seasons, only to watch them struggle when they finally played together (Warren was injured most of White’s freshman year) and the disappointment of neither one ever quite reaching his full potential. It’s having the appearance of being a good recruiter, but still struggling to find a player who can shoot the basketball even while the enigmatic Jelan Kendrick, a former McDonald’s All-American, rides the pine after finally becoming eligible in early December. The Kennedy Conundrum is four 20-win seasons and claims to shares of two SEC Western Division titles with no March Madness to show for any of it. The Kennedy Conundrum is accomplishing all that Kennedy has even while playing in and recruiting to the albatross that is Tad Smith 12 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

The Kennedy Conundrum is being the fastest coach in Ole Miss history to 100 wins, reaching the mark in less than five full seasons, while never actually reaching the NCAA Tournament. Coliseum. It really is a difficult problem to solve. What do you do with the coach who has built a winning program in five-plus seasons while playing in the SEC’s worst facility in a small town in rural Mississippi - far from the urban playgrounds where most of the sport’s talent gets developed? No matter what you and I might think of Oxford, Mississippi, it’s not the dream destination for the best high school basketball players. But despite that Kennedy has built a winning program. Unfortunately, what he hasn’t done is get to the Tournament. And it’s here we must acknowledge that March Madness really is all that matters. But for all the wins, the recruiting success, and even the SEC West titles there is still the dissatisfaction that comes with a 10-year drought from the quintessential definition of college basketball success - NCAA Tournament invitations. And make no mistake about it, four straight losses to rival Mississippi State doesn’t favor Kennedy in this dilemma either. In the first 10 games this season, it seemed like this might be the year. With a lineup including big bodies like Murphy Holloway, Terrance Henry and Reginald Buckner, Kennedy had the depth below the basket that has been

missing in recent years, but he needed a couple shooters to go along with it. There was hope that Dundrecous Nelson, Kendrick, or heralded freshman LaDarius White might bring the critical outside game. In mid-December Ole Miss fans were in that non-conference winning buildup that has become all too familiar these last six years, trying hard not to buy in too early, but as the Rebels continued winning holding their breath, setting their jaws, crossing their fingers and even avoiding the topic altogether for fear of jinxing a 9-1 non-conference start, hoping that maybe, just maybe, 2012 would be the year coach Kennedy would finally break through that NCAA bubble. It looked like a real possibility when Ole Miss ended November with a win over Miami and followed that performance with impressive wins against DePaul and Penn State. When White scored 16-points in his debut against Mississippi Valley State, the sky was the limit, with the much ballyhooed Kendrick’s debut still to come. But late in December all that promise began to crumble with a three-game road losing streak including losses to Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State and Dayton. The Rebels broke the skid barely surviving a below-average SMU team 50-48. The win was nice, but the difficulty of it was problematic. Fifty points won’t win many basketball games. And that win was quickly overshadowed by the dismissal of the leading scorer Dundrecous Nelson two days later for a drug-related arrest. For a team as offensively challenged as Ole Miss, losing Nelson hurt. Thus far, no guard has stepped up to be the reliable shooter Ole Miss desperately needs. Kendrick’s start has been slowed by his inability to escape Kennedy’s dog house and the bench; White’s hot hand quickly fizzled; and Nelson was sporadic at best. The Rebels are woeful in all the key shooting categories: FG 42-percent, Free Throws 59-percent, 3-pointers 28-percent. And now those numbers will need to improve without the help of Nelson. Unfortunately for Kennedy, the oncoming SEC schedule makes November and December look more like a cake walk. If wins were hard to come by against the likes of Southern Mississippi and Middle Tennessee State, some of those stops on the SEC schedule will be downright impossible. This year may be more difficult than most. The entire SEC West is seemingly on the upswing. Rick Stansbury, who has six NCAA appearances in 13 seasons at Mississippi State, may have his best team yet. Trent Johnson has LSU off to a quick start,

SEE KENNEDY on Page 56

THE DAWGHOUSE Follow Brian Hadad on Twitter® @brianhadad

The Boys of Late Winter/Early Spring

By BRIAN HADAD

Featured Columnist

t’s a fact, that State fans who grew up in the 80’s hung our hat on baseball. Football was awful, and somehow, basketball was even worse. But as the temperatures warmed up in March and April, it was finally time for the Bulldogs to hold their heads high. Even today, I will still say Mississippi State is the top baseball program in the country without that one thing that defines the truly elite, a national title. Despite the best efforts of Clark, Palmeiro, Thigpen, Young, Raffo, Reed, Dubose, Piatt, Freeman, and Lee, the Maroon and White have never finished their season in a wild dogpile in Omaha, Nebraska. As we entered the latter part of the 2000’s, I started to wonder if the glory days were truly gone. It started slowly, as we started struggling to make regionals, not being able to host Super Regionals, and then the next thing you know, we’re missing the SEC tournament. It was like you turned around and Mississippi State baseball was a shell of its former self, and to make matters worse, our in state rivals in Oxford had somehow become the destination for the state’s top prospects, taking our place atop the baseball pedestal. A trip back to the College World Series in 2007 wasn’t enough to remove the tarnish from the once proud jewel of the Bulldog athletic program. With Ron Polk seemingly more concerned about fighting the NCAA about roster limitations than winning games, the program suffered through the first losing seasons since before Polk took over in 1976, and when Polk was more or less forced into a second retirement, even his most ardent supporters had to admit it was time for the legend to walk away. Enter John Cohen, at least at first. The former Bulldog outfielder definitely had the fire that seemed to be lacking under the previous regime. He said the right things, he talked about national titles instead of lottery scholarships, he knew what Bulldog fans expect of

It was like you turned around and Mississippi State baseball was a shell of its former self, and to make matters worse, our in-state rivals in Oxford had somehow become the destination for the state’s top prospects, taking our place atop the baseball pedestal. their baseball program and said he was the man to deliver. He said…and then we actually started playing. Nearly three full seasons later, I started to wonder if we had made a mistake. Two more losing seasons, and the third took us all the way to the last day to simply clinch a berth in the SEC tournament. Had we been sold a bill of goods? Had Cohen’s success at Kentucky been a fluke, and was Mississippi State baseball dead and buried? Was Dudy Noble Field, revered the nation over as the best place to watch college baseball, now a mausoleum to former glory? The team returned from Hoover after a predictable “2 and que” finish, shipped out to Atlanta to be part of nationally ranked Georgia Tech’s regional. Improvement, yes, but this was not what John Cohen was talking about when he donned that maroon blazer three years prior. Then, in the course of three days, it all

changed. State sweeps through the regional, goes down to Gainesville for a Super Regional matchup with the Florida Gators, and comes within 6 outs of going back to Omaha, with one of the most exciting moments in any Maroon and White memory, Nick Vickerson’s walk off homerun. Suddenly, and without warning, Bulldog baseball was back. Now John Cohen enters the 2012 season with great momentum and support, when he nearly came in on the hot seat. As somebody once said, that’s baseball. So what of the 2012 Diamond Dawgs? They look solid at first glance. It starts with pitching depth, something that has been in short supply. The emergence of Evan Mitchell at the end of last season, along with the resurgence of Nick Routt gives State two quality front line guys, and allows Chris Stratton to settle into the Sunday starter role. It also allows Luis Pollorena (my favorite guy on the team) to return to that middle relief role is far better suited for, bridging the gap to closer Caleb Reed, a bonafide All American candidate. The pen has a nice mix of veterans (Kendall Graveman, Chad Girodo, and Tim Statz) with highly touted freshmen (both Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Lindgren were taken in the first 12 rounds of the MLB draft.) At the plate, the continued development of last year’s freshmen stars, CT Bradford, Darryl Norris, Taylor Stark and Adam Frazier will be the key, as will summer All Star Hunter Renfroe. Renfroe may in fact be the guy to watch, if the coaches can settle on a position for him. He has first round talent. The biggest reason for hope this season is the renewed confidence that the 2011 postseason brought. Our guys know that they can compete with anyone on the big stage, and of course, there is no bigger stage than SEC baseball, where even the teams that don’t make the conference tournament still make the NCAA’s. A coach like John Cohen, who makes no apologies for being demanding of his players, has to win at some point, or players just lose interest. We needed a run like we made, and that sets the table for continued success. There’s still some holes, no doubt, but our lineup and rotation look as good as they have since the good ole days. I’ll be the first to admit, baseball is my least favorite of the Big 3. My saying is when we’re good, it’s great, but when we aren’t, I only have time to complain. But that being said, there truly is nothing like sitting in the lounge…

SEE THE BOYS on Page 56 MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 13

MSM: LEGENDS PUBLISHER’S NOTE: On December 1, 2011 the state of Mississippi lost one of its’ greatest sports advocates, historians...and friend...Michael Rubenstein. The story below originally ran in our Sept./Oct. 2009 edition and we reprint it here again in tribute to “Rube” as he was affectionately known in our state’s sports community.

REMEMBERING “RUBE” If you’re under the age of 30 and a Mississippi sports fan, you probably knew Michael Rubenstein as the erstwhile executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Jackson. But there was another generation that remembers Rube as unquestionably the most recognized and popular sports anchor the state has ever known.

Story by NASH NUNNERY Photos by Greg Pevey, Mississippi Sports Magazine

efore Sportscenter, Jim Rome and Chris Berman, there was Michael Rubenstein, whose deft and razortongued delivery of the day’s sports news garnered top-ratings for local NBC-affiliate WLBT from 1977-92 and made him an on-air Mississippi legend. Rubenstein was “discovered” accidentally one night while enjoying a beverage at George Street Grocery, the now-defunct watering hole and gathering place for media-types and state legislators. “I was sitting at the bar one night and a Cincinnati Reds baseball game was on the television,” he said. “I’m telling no one in particular that the pitcher was getting tired and maybe the manager ought to remove him. That led to a conversation with the guy sitting next to me.” The “guy” happened to be Hewitt Griffin, an engineer at WLBT. Griffen told Rube that he ought to apply

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for the vacant sports anchor position at the station. An audition at the WLBT studios was arranged to see if Rubenstein might be a fit. “When I got to the station, I don’t think they were really prepared for me,” he said laughing. “The cameraman had to fish a sports script from the previous night’s news show out of the trash.” Station management was not exactly impressed with the Booneville native’s audition performance. No offer was forthcoming and Rube kept his day job with the State of Mississippi while continuing to work as a late-night announcer on WJSU-FM. Then the story took an even more bizarre twist. According to Rubenstein, Griffin called him three or four weeks later while Rube was pulling a shift at the radio station, and encouraged him to speak with Channel 3 station manager Bill Dilday. “I go down there on a Monday and knock on Mr. Dilday’s door. He says, ‘What are you doing here?’” Rubenstein recalls. “What he didn’t know was that the guy they heard on WJSU was the same guy that had already been rejected for the job.” Rubenstein was hired. “A random set of circumstances led me to WLBT and fifteen years of anchoring sports in Jackson,” he said, shaking his head. The fifty-something Rubenstein enjoyed a bucolic childhood growing up in Mayberryesque Booneville. Typical of most of the small towns that dot the Mississippi landscape, Booneville was a community whose inhabitants loved their high school sports. Games involving the hometown Blue Devils brought out the entire town. “I have fond memories of being a kid in Booneville,” said Rube. “My Dad, a Delta Jew, married my mom, a Delta Baptist, and we loved the area. It was a wonderful time in my life.” One of those memories involved Rube’s close relationship with Irv Feldman, a Booneville radio personality. “Irv Feldman was perhaps the biggest influence in my life. He was the sports announcer at WBIP and broadcast all the games at Booneville High,” he said. “I got great exposure to broadcasting at a very early age.” Feldman brought young Michael along as a statistician on broadcasts of Blue Devils games and Rube became a regular in press boxes and crackerbox gyms across northeast Mississippi. Road trips to hamlets such as Nettleton, Calhoun City or Fulton were a dream come

true for Rubenstein, who developed his love and knowledge of the games with help from Feldman. After graduation, Rubenstein moved to Nashville and attended Vanderbilt University, where he majored in history, and not communications. The road to his broadcasting career wasn’t paved by diction classes or television internships, but by benign subjects such as the French Revolution and the Ming Dynasty. Keeping a low profile in the Music City, Rube spent his free time waiting tables or tending bar to help defray expenses at Vandy. “I was fortunate to be able to get a Vanderbilt education and see great SEC sports most every weekend,” he said. “I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life at the time, and my hope was that my degree would lead to something when I got out of college.” With his Vanderbilt degree in hand, Rubenstein moved to Jackson in 1974 after being hired by the Governor’s Office of Education and Training. He enjoyed his work, and living in the Capital City was an added bonus. “I felt very fulfilled and was perfectly content. I fell in love with Jackson,” he said. Little did he know that a sports anchoring career lay on the horizon. Many credit Rubenstein with changing the face of sports broadcasting in Mississippi. Previously, television sports reporters and their print counterparts concentrated their efforts on the state’s Big Three universities – the SWAC and small colleges got short-shrift on the air and on the daily sports pages. When Rubenstein took over as WLBT sports director in 1977, Jackson State, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley suddenly became household names in living rooms across the Channel 3 viewing area. Rubenstein insists he wasn’t trying to make a social statement. “For years, the historically-black schools in the state produced so many outstanding players who went on to become superstars in MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 15

Rube and former Alcorn QB Steve McNair strike the Heisman pose.

the National Football League. Additionally, the SWAC schools provided us tremendous access to their programs,” he said. “If you looked at it from a business standpoint on the ratings side, it made perfect sense. “Forty percent of WLBT’s viewing audience was black – there was no social statement involved. Black or white, I think our audience deserved to hear about all the programs in the state and coaches like W.C. Gordon, Dave Whitney, Marino Casem and Archie Cooley,” added Rube. Relaxing in his museum office one recent morning, Rubenstein reflected on leaving WLBT for a huge multi-year contract he signed in 1992 with Love Communications. “I had done all I could do at Channel 3 and they basically told me I had topped out salary-wise,” said Rube. “Jim Love was very ambitious and had visions of a statewide cable news show that would begin at nine each night and beat the other stations. He hired me and we launched the show. “It lasted seven months and then went belly-up. But I give Jim huge kudos for honoring my contract.” Rubenstein is asked about the signature phrase that he sprinkled into most of his sports broadcasts. The phrase was used generally when he read a lop-sided score, such as “Delta State reamed, steamed and dry cleaned Arkansas Tech 64-10.” 16 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

“Reamed, steamed and dry cleaned” defined a typical Rubenstein sports segment. He is proud to give proper attribution to the phrase’s origin. “Actually, I stole the line from the book Portnoy’s Complaint,” he explained. “The first 500 times I used it on the air, I gave the author (Philip Roth) credit. It seemed to resonate with people.” What resonates with Rubenstein is preserving the tradition and rich history of sports in the Magnolia State. Taking a stroll through the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum with Rube, a visitor is struck by his beaming smile as he ushers his guest through the treasure trove of sports memorabilia and exhibits. The pride in Rubenstein’s voice speaks volumes. “We opened in 1996 and we haven’t received one red cent of taxpayer’s money to run the museum,” he said. “There’s not another museum in the country, to my knowledge, that could make that claim.” Rubenstein and museum administrator Margaret Ferries White have been with the project from its humble beginnings. While the facility was under construction between Smith-Wills Stadium and the state agriculture museum, the pair shared a cramped office in a nearby state building. Rube chuckles, “We literally fished our

desks and chairs out of a dumpster.” Despite all the fancy bells and technological whistles of the museum, two separate photographs still capture his attention after over a decade of walking the halls of the facility. One is an interesting photo involving Hall of Fame inductee Hal “Sheriff ” Lee, who was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1974. The Moss Point native played seven years in the major leagues and averaged .275. Lee also starred in football and baseball for Mississippi College from 1924-1928. “For my money, the play at the plate in baseball is the most dramatic in sports,” said Rubenstein. “The cloud of dust, the catcher holding on to the ball and showing the umpire, the ump with his definitive statement of safe or out – the photo is simple yet reveals so much emotion in one shot.” The other picture is featured in the Ancestral Sports exhibit. It displays a Choctaw chieftain in full tribal dress at the turn of the century, with the text explaining the intricacies of stickball. Rubenstein revels in the moment while staring at the picture. No words are needed. Michael Rubenstein, former history major and sports anchor extraordinaire, is now keeper of the precious artifacts that tell the rich story of Mississippi’s sports heroes. MSM

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MSM: GAME CHANGERS Photo by Ed Gardner

Brian Emory at the 2011 RBI Regional Tournament in Little Rock.

The first pitch was thrown Tuesday, June 14th at Uncle Bud’s Field, home of Jr. RBI at the Spencer Perkins Center on Robinson Road in Jackson. Many volunteers worked over a year to finish the project. (Photo by Brian Emory)

AN INNER CITY REVIVAL Brian Emory of Jackson RBI is helping develop inner city baseball in the Metro area by giving kids the opportunity and tools to succeed on and off the baseball diamond

rian Emory has always been a baseball fan. Emory played in the local summer leagues as a kid like so many of us did, and he played high school ball as well. To say Brian has a general love for the game is an understatement. With a desire to help others, Emory felt he had to give something back to the sport he loves so dear. With a degree in sports communications Emory knew he had wanted to make a career in sports. “When I was a student at Mississippi State (2002 graduate) I found out about the really successful RBI program in Memphis and wanted to do an internship with them. I think it was planned for me to do this a long time ago. Fast forward to 2008 and I was working for the Mississippi Braves when I woke up one morning and told Heather that “This is what God wants me to do.” So in December of that year and January 2009, I got together with the coaches at Tougaloo (College) and Jackson State (University) and we put together the first two RBI clinics.” Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) will 18 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

be entering its 23rd year of play nationally in 2012. From its inception in 1989 through the 2011 season, RBI has grown from a local program for boys in South Central Los Angeles to an international campaign encompassing more than 200 cities and as many as 200,000 male and female participants a year. In 2010 Jr. RBI was launched, designed to create new playing divisions that provide baseball and softball opportunities for children ages 5-12 that also serve as a feeder to the current RBI 13-18 baseball and softball divisions.

Ed note: Jackson RBI is baseball only for Jr. RBI for ages 8-12 and RBI for ages 13-18. “There are so many kids across the Jackson/Metro area and other parts of the state too, that have not had the opportunity to learn the game of baseball,” says Emory. “It’s so much easier for kids to get in a pick-up game of basketball or football and we wanted to give these kids who wanted to play baseball a league they could join and learn the game and improve their skills. It also gives us the opportunity to be role-models for these kids and witness to them at the same time.” One of the main objectives of Mississippi RBI is helping kids get into college. Local college academic recruiters routinely volunteer at RBI clinics and attend summer league games so they can get information to the underclassmen, giving them a better understanding of how to get into college. The Jackson RBI program not only encourages participation in baseball and to expand the pool of talented prospects, but, more importantly, it provides young people with a positive, team-oriented activity that keeps them off the streets while challenging them mentally and physically. Major League Baseball endorsed the RBI concept and provides financial support and equipment for the programs. Jackson RBI is not solely for kids in the Jackson area. Players from all over the state are welcome to attend and kids in all age groups can participate. In 2011, the summer league all-star travel team featured players from Meridian and Mendenhall because those players participated in the summer league. Only players that participate in RBI events can be considered for the all-star team. “It gives our players something to shoot for that only the partnership with MLB can

Photo by Ed Gardner

Zachary Bird, of Murrah High School signed a NLI to attend Southern Miss and play baseball for the nationally ranked Golden Eagles.

them get a scholarship then it’s all worth it,” says Emory. As with any non-profit organization sponsorships are a huge part of the success of the program. Visit www.MississippiRBI.com to see how you can help and get involved. “We are always looking for volunteers and sponsors to help us keep this program strong. The best thing a volunteer can do is to give of their time. Kids these days are searching for an identity and they’re learning it from Hollywood and other places. Without a positive male role model in their life. Baseball is an expensive sport and we’ve been lucky enough to receive equipment donations from local colleges and even current professional players with Mississippi ties have donated gloves and other equipment. Leagues also motivate participants to stay in school and pursue post-secondary education, and school attendance/performance is a requirement for joining and remaining on many RBI teams. RBI has been embraced in so many communities because it teaches kids that being a success in life takes more than succeeding on the ballfield -- it also means succeeding in the classroom and in the community. Major League Baseball established the RBI for RBI college scholarship in 2009 to reward high school seniors who are RBI participants with a $5,000 per year scholarship. The application process is extensive and in 2011 Jackson RBI player Marcus Brumfield, then at Terry High School and now a freshman baseball player at Tougaloo College, won the scholarship. “That is something that can only happen through the support from MLB, like the Jr. RBI Classic a few years ago that landed our program on ESPN,” said Emory. “The RBI leadership team in New York City is always looking for ways to help us.” In 2009, Jackson RBI, as one of 16 pilot cities for Jr. RBI, was selected to participate in the first annual Jr. RBI Classic to be played around the MLB All-Star game in St. Louis. Timmy Crump, an 11-year-old from Jackson, was featured on ESPN and the MLB Network telling the story of why he decided to play in the Jr. RBI Classic despite his mother passing away only days before. In her final days, Crump’s mother, who battled cancer, told him that she would be ‘mad at him’ if he did not attend the tournament because she knew how badly he wanted to go. If you would like to be a sponsor of Jackson RBI you can contact Brian at 601-665-7884 or email him at brian@mississippirbi.com for more information. - MSM

NOTEWORTHY... Members of Pinelake Church participate in “Shine” which is a day of service for the church. The crew helped dig out an infield and home plate area as well as general maintenance to get the field ready to play two months later. (Photo by Brian Emory)

provide,” said Emory. “The players know they have to make it to the clinics and summer league games to get the chance to play other teams from around the country in the RBI Regional tournament and the RBI World Series, the latter of which is played in professional baseball parks. Kids dream of the chance to play in Yankee Stadium or Dodger Stadium and this year it will be at Target Field in Minneapolis.” Jackson RBI has helped 23 players over three years continue their baseball careers by signing scholarships with Community Colleges and four-year colleges. The coaching is provided by current and former pro and college baseball players and current and retired college baseball coaches. Some coaches are baseball fans, like Emory, who played only at the high school level. “We coach these kids just like they would be coached during the school year.” I have yet to hear from a coach that we shouldn’t have his players in our summer league. One of our goals is to help these players continue reaching their goals of going to college and if we can help

Major League Baseball and Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) announced in 2009 that Mississippi RBI is now one of 12 RBI programs out of 200+ around the country (and a few internationally) to be recognized as a “Phase III” program. The 11 cities that experienced tremendous growth similar to Jackson, Mississippi over the first year and also receiving the “Phase III” title are Anaheim, Sacramento, San Diego and Venice/Los Angeles, California; Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; Seattle, Washington; Jersey City, New Jersey; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; and Carolina, Puerto Rico. In its first year in 2008, Mississippi RBI registered 238 summer league participants and many more joined in the weeks after registration day. Over 500 area kids ages 6-18 attended the fundamental baseball and softball clinics held around the city in the fall of 2008 and spring and summer of 2009. Mississippi RBI joins the elite 11 other cities to receive this outstanding rating by MLB. It was awarded based on the influence and impact on the community and the overall efforts of all involved to offer a great product to the City of Jackson. MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 19

MSM: LOCAL SCENE

MONEYBALL As a Major League baseball player, Chad Bradford was used to seeing himself on television. But seeing himself on the silver screen was, pardon the pun, a whole new ballgame.

Story by Chuck Stinson Photos courtesy Oakland A’s / Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Bradford pitching for the Oakland A’s.

“I

t was kind of a crazy thing. It was one thing to watch yourself pitch on television in a game but to watch your life on screen like that it was really different. It was pretty neat,” the former big leaguer from Byram said. Technically, Bradford wasn’t on the big screen but his role with the 2002 Oakland A’s is one of the stories chronicled in Moneyball, the recently released movie and a Golden globe nominee for Best Picture, starring Brad Pitt that is based on Michael Lewis’s book by the same title. Pitt stars as the Oakland General Manager, Billy Beane, who built the A’s into a contender by, in short, finding undervalued players who filled roles for a team that was limited financially and was still able to compete. “I just liked the way he (Beane) decided, ‘I’m going to take a different approach

20 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

and see if this will work’. Because there is always the stereotype of what a ballplayer should be what a pitcher should be. That is the beauty of baseball”, said Bradford after an 11 year career, a career that he gives Beane at least partial credit for helping him attain. “Moneyball gives guy a chance that normally wouldn’t have as much of a chance as everybody else and that is what Billy did for me. I would say I had a solid career as a reliever but in the beginning most teams would have said they wouldn’t have seen it. I can’t think of any other teams, because everybody wanted the hard thrower and the big guy that came out of the bullpen with a 92 mile an hour slider. I don’t think it would have happened. I think I would have been stuck in Triple A. I’m glad Billy Beane was around.” Bradford was a talented ballplayer but he wasn’t the most talented. Just the kind of guy Beane was looking for on his roster. To un-

derstand a little of this you have to go back to Bradford’s pre major league days starting at Byram High School, where he was struggling throwing like most pitchers, over the top. “I threw over the top and it was straight and slow”, said Bradford, who laughed a little at the thought. So his coach made the suggestion that he start throwing sidearm. It worked. “It was a combination of the arm angle, the deception with the delivery and all that. I think it was I found always able to hit my spots. I threw strikes and I moved the ball around the plate and threw the ball where I wanted too.” After leaving Byram, Bradford went to Hinds and in 1994 was drafted in the 34th round by the White Sox. He decided to stay in school and moved on to Southern Miss. The White Sox stayed on him and he was this time taken in the 13th round the second go round in 1996. “What I didn’t know was that the White Sox were very big on velocity. They thought because of my size (6’5) and because I was tall and lanky coming out of college they’d get me and put me on a good workout program and that I was going to be throwing about 92 from the side. I’d topped out at 88 at Southern Miss. Pretty much straight sidearm. It was kind of the opposite. I got lower and I didn’t throw quite as hard but to me it was working. I was getting guys out. When I threw 87-88 straight sidearm I was getting hit. I’d get to Triple A and I was putting up good numbers but they want a guy that was throwing hard. I can remember coming back in spring training of ‘98, my first year in the big leagues and I got down a little lower in the next couple of seasons as far as arm angle. It really started working. My slider was better and I had a changeup that I didn’t throw much of early on. Once I started seeing those swings and misses from big league hitters I thought, ‘hey I can make it here’.” Still Bradford was starting to get a little frustrated. “When I get called up a couple of times, I did good two or three times. I just wasn’t their type of guy.” After two years in the White Sox system, he even considered playing in Japan but his agent told him to be patient. That is when the A’s entered the picture. “I was having a little back problem and had surgery the first week of December. The A’s called and said they had been watching me for a while and they said they like all the ground balls I get. No walks, no home runs given up and a lot of ground balls. They traded for me and that was the opportunity. That was the best thing that happen to me was get-

ON THE DIAMOND

Bradford also played with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Former Minor Leaguer, now actor, Casey Bond portrayed Bradford in the movie “Moneyball.”

ting away from the White Sox. Billy Beane didn’t care if I threw the ball 70 miles an hour. As long as I was getting ground balls and getting outs, he was happy. He told me one time, ‘Look Chad they cannot hit a ground ball out of the ballpark. Keep doing what you are doing. They had to fill in with guys like me that could get the job done.” Bradford said Beane kept an even temperament even when things were not going so well for the righty, “In 2004 my ERA was up. I was giving up a few extra runs. Billy said, ‘Hey you’re doing fine. Quit worrying you’re

here. You’re part of this team. You’re not going anywhere. Just go pitch. That let me knew where he stood with me.” Bradford was happy to be on a team that was being run like the A’s were being run. He wasn’t concerned with his salary or celebrity status, “I was happy to get somewhere that was going to give me an opportunity. I wasn’t aware of the whole Moneyball thing until years later.” Prior to his exit from the A’s, via a trade after the 2004 season, Bradford and Beane exchanged thanks, “When Billy trade me to Boston, I told him thank you so much for the opportunity and he said, ‘Hey thank you, you made me look good the last four years.” Bradford eventually spent his 11 years in the big leagues with six teams. It was in 2006, while he was with the Mets that he learned of a possible movie being made out of the book. “I can remember Michael Lewis when he traveled with the team that year and wrote the book. There was a little talk about what could happen beyond the book.” It wasn’t until 2008, when he was on a World Series run with the Tampa Bay Rays, that he not only knew the movie was being made but he might also have a chance to play himself in it. “Two years when by and I didn’t hear anything. I got traded to Tampa in ‘08 and I get the phone call that they were going to do the movie and they were going to use ballplayers as actors. They went back to the whole 2002 Oakland

A’s team and guys that might want to do that. I was like, I’d love to do that but I’m in the middle of a major league season and I can’t leave. I was trying to work something out like go out there during the All Star break and do all my parts.” Bradford never got a chance to work it out because a change of directors on the film. The new director, Bennett Miller, decided to use actors instead of ballplayers. Bradford would be played by a former college player and minor leaguer, Casey Bond. Bradford approved of the portrayal, “He did a good job. He called and asked all kind of questions about how I pitched and my delivery and all that. He kept me updated on what was going on with filming.” Knowing he would field a lot of questions, Bradford headed for the theatre the first day Moneyball opened. He found it to be very close to the truth, something that is hard to find after a movie has been given the Hollywood treatment. “The movie was spot on about Billy. There were some small details that were a little off but nothing that the base of the movie would change. After it was over I had a conversation with my wife and we said that was pretty close to the way it was. It was really cool. I was glad it had come out and it’s gone by. I was a little worried how they were going to portray us as players.” Aside from his World Series run with Tampa in ’08, Bradford considers his time in Oakland some of his best days in the majors. “It was a great place to be.” As for the role that got away, Bradford says he was not bitten by the acting bug,” I’m good in Raymond”, he said with a laugh. He’s good in Raymond because he’s getting to coach his 16 year old son Keller as an assistant baseball coach at Central Hinds Academy and getting to spend more time with his two other kids, 12 year old Lanie and 2 ½ year old Walker. His mission now is to raise his kids with his wife and high school sweetheart Jenny. Bradford also wants to make sure that kids know he is not just a baseball player that made it in the major leagues and was featured in a big budgeted Hollywood movie. “One thing I say to kids, it’s isn’t who I am. It’s what I did.” He also wanted to stress that while his talents and Billy Beane’s eye put him in position to enjoy a long career in the majors, he knows a higher power had a larger influence in his story, “This was God’s plan for my life. There is no way I can do those things without God saying these are the things that are going to happen. Here is my plan for you.” A plan that tells the story of the most talented and the best are not the only ones that can make it. The ones who work hard and have faith have a great shot at success as well. Moneyball will be out on DVD in January. - MSM MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 21

MSM: SPOTLIGHT

ONE OF THE BEST Ever since he was able to walk on a baseball diamond, Jeff Brantley has been a major part of baseball. He enjoyed an All-American career at Mississippi State and was then a solid relief pitcher and AllStar performer in Major League Baseball.

Story by PAUL JONES Photos courtesy Miss. State Sports Information

aving already been honored in MSU’s Hall of Fame and also by the San Francisco Giants’ organization, Jeff Brantley has added another major milestone on his resume and did so this past year with his induction to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. “I went into the Mississippi State Hall of Fame a few years back and I also have my number retired there,” said Brantley. “Then to be elected into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame is a great honor. When I had the chance to be on the ‘Wall of Fame’ at San Francisco’s park, I wasn’t able to go for that celebration. But I did get to attend the one with the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and it was great and a very humbling experience. “This state has produced so many great athletes that we still watch today. To be included with that group is truly a humbling experience.” Brantley actually played his high school career in the neighboring state of Alabama.

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But it didn’t take him long to fall in love with Mississippi State’s baseball tradition. And that process started at an early age. “I think the big thing for me with my path to Mississippi State was the very first time I went over there,” said Brantley. “I was playing in a Dizzy Dean World Series as a kid in Columbus at Propst Park. We had an off day between games and our coach took us to Dudy Noble Field and it was only a 25-minute drive. I remember being on that field and thinking that it was like walking on carpet. “At that time I didn’t know who Coach (Ron) Polk was and I was only 12 at that time. But he comes out on the field to meet us with a cigar and I thought ‘what a nice guy this is’. That day just stuck with me forever and I knew then where I wanted to go to school.” And Brantley obviously did end up in Starkville and enjoyed one of the best careers ever produced by a Diamond Dog. He earned All-SEC honors in 1984 and 1985 and also All-American honors in 1985 when he helped lead the Bulldogs to the College World Series. Brantley still owns the school record today of 45 career wins and also the single-season mark of 18 wins in 1985. Not bad for a kid who some thought couldn’t pitch in the SEC and actually came to college as a shortstop. “The coach at Alabama said I would never play SEC baseball,” said Brantley with a laugh. “But Mississippi State sure thought I could and I think that worked out alright.” Brantley went on to enjoy a solid career in the majors, and had 172 career saves, 43 career wins and a career 3.39 era in 14 seasons in Major League Baseball. He pitched for San Francisco, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Texas before retiring in 2001. But he didn’t stay out of the sport long. “I stopped playing and was out of the game but only for a short period of time,” noted Brantley. “I thought about starting up a business in Jackson and was just going to do that and play golf. But when baseball is in your blood it is hard to get away from it. I don’t know what it is about this game but it is in my heart and my soul. “I can’t play the game anymore and I don’t know that I would even if I could simply for the fact my body hurt so bad at the end of my career. You don’t have to play football in order to hurt after a game. My shoulders, back and feet were hurting so bad and 14 years takes a toil on your body. But I still love being around the game talking baseball and just talking about that competitive edge with guys today

MSM: SPOTLIGHT

and how you keep that edge and how you get it back.” Brantley stayed around the game as a baseball analyst for ESPN for several years and now works for Fox and is also part of the Cincinnati Reds’ announcing crew. “I am doing color now for Fox and also for the Reds’ games,” said Brantley. “I actually do the radio broadcast with Marty Brennaman and then work with his son on Fox. So that is a good deal. To be honest, I loved working at ESPN and it was as fun and as great of an experience I could’ve hoped for breaking into that media sector. I can’t imagine any better place to learn this business than ESPN.” And Brantley added when the Reds called him for a job opportunity, it was too good to turn down. “I am a baseball player first and I was a Reds’ fan since the time I was able to pick up

a baseball,” said Brantley. “I would sit in our driveway with my dad listening to their games on the radio and we would have to go back and forth in the driveway to pick up the station and that was the only way to pick it up. “It also had to be after six at night to pick it up cause a Cuban channel before six and then the Reds’ game came on when they went off the air.” And of course, Brantley also fulfilled a childhood dream by playing for the Reds from 1994-97. “It was definitely exciting to do that,” said Brantley. “I actually picked the Reds over the Braves when it was time to sign a new contract and many thought I was crazy for doing that. “But I would’ve retired there, too, and would have taken less money to stay there. But I ended up getting traded so once I had

a chance to call the Reds’ games on radio I jumped at that opportunity.” Brantley also returns to his college alma mater when the opportunity arrives and catches MSU in action in baseball and also football and basketball. He is also impressed with the progress current MSU head coach John Cohen has made with the baseball program and likes Cohen’s intensity on and off the field. “I think when you look at our coaches from Polk to (Pat) McMahon to now with Cohen, they obviously have varying degrees of intensity and discipline,” said Brantley. “They all vary on all the different things that go into coaching. But it is a different era now because the players are different and brought up in a different way. I think John has tremendous motivation to excel at every place he’s been, whether it was at Kentucky or here at Mississippi State.” And Brantley added Cohen has that “fire in his belly” that should help the Diamond Dogs return to the level Brantley and his former MSU teammates encountered in the 80’s. “John has that fire in his belly and you really must have that today to succeed as a coach no matter how old or how young you are,” said Brantley. “With the athletes you get today and the pampering that goes on at the high school and even professional level, if you have no intensity within your self then your players won’t be successful. “There has been a transition period with the type of coach that Polk is and to how John is now. Some thought John was too hard on the players in the beginning. But I thought that is what the program needed and we are now seeing the fruits of their labor and we will continue to see that.” - MSM MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 23

MSM: SPOTLIGHT

giant strides:

eli whiteside From small town New Albany, to Baltimore and the “City by the Bay,” Eli Whiteside has come a long way since his days at Delta State

Story by JOHN DAVIS The Oxford Eagle

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etails are not lost on New Albany native Eli Whiteside especially when it comes time to talk about his career in professional baseball. That’s not to say that Whiteside is full of himself or his physical ability, he is just very thankful for the experiences he has been a part of in the game since he graduated from W.P. Daniel High School

in 1998. Whiteside, the current catcher for the San Francisco Giants, played his college ball at Delta State and then made his way through the minor leagues to become an everyday player in the majors. His career is not unlike many fellow big leaguers who seemingly have to earn their stripes before getting their shot. Whiteside, 32, was nearly 26 when he first played in a MLB ballpark. The day Whiteside first experienced life as MLB player came July 5, 2005 when Whiteside was a member of the Baltimore Orioles. He was taking over for his childhood idol, Javy Lopez, behind the plate and the details surrounding his arrival in New York to play the Yankees, as well as the phone call he got from his Triple A manager telling him where he was headed, seemed to flow out of him like it had just happened. “Javy Lopez was catching at the time for the Orioles and he was a guy I looked up to. I was a big (Atlanta) Braves fan growing up. He got hurt and I was in Buffalo, New York. I had just gotten up and I was walking to get something to eat for lunch. We had a game that night in Buffalo,” Whiteside said. “I was in Triple A with Baltimore and my manager called me and told me to get back to the hotel, that I was going to the big leagues. I had a big grin on my face. I had to walk back to the hotel to pack my bags up because I had to be on a plane that night. “I think I called my wife when I was walking back to the hotel. I packed my stuff up real quick. I think I got a flight out that night or that next morning going to Baltimore.” Whiteside, who married his high school sweetheart back in 2004, later said he did remember calling his wife to tell her the good news that he had finally been given a chance to showcase his skills on the highest stage of his profession. “I came in the sixth inning, fifth or sixth inning. We were getting beat 13-1 or something like that,” Whiteside said recalling the scene surrounding his first contest. “I went in to pinch hit and my first at bat was against Randy Johnson in Yankee Stadium. There was 50,000 something people there. That was a

pretty cool experience to be my first at bat be against Randy Johnson. I grounded into a double play.” The moment only lasted seconds, but it was his first big step into becoming the player he has become for the Giants. “I got back to Baltimore the next day and we played the Red Sox. They were the defending World Series champions at that time. That was my first start and we won that game 9-1,” Whiteside said. “I got the lineup card from that game. It was pretty cool.” The ride with the Orioles didn’t last long after Whiteside made his debut and the next few years were more like the start of his career, playing in the minors and looking to catch on with a team where he could really contribute. “I never made it back up with Baltimore.

I got sent down and called back up that September. In ‘06 and ‘07 I was in Triple AAA with those guys. In ‘08, I was a minor league free agent so I signed with the Twins and went to spring training with those guys and big league camp all spring. Then I ended up going to Rochester (N.Y.) and played about a month before getting released by the Twins,” said Whiteside, who admitted he was struggling at that point in his career. Shortly after being released by the Twins’ organization, Whiteside found sanctuary in Fresno, California with the Grizzlies, the Giants’ Triple A organization. An injury to Pablo Sandoval, the Giants’ starting catcher in 2009, granted Whiteside another chance to play as he came in as a backup to Bengie Molina. The highlight of that season came a little later in the summer when Molina was unable to play due because his wife was giving birth. Whiteside started in his place and ended up catching a no-hitter thrown by Jonathan Sanchez against the San Diego Padres. It was the first no-hitter recorded by a Giants pitcher since Sept. 29, 1976 when John Montefusco no-hit the Atlanta Braves. Whiteside finished out the 2009 season with the Giants and was brought for 2010, the year the Giants won their first World Series since 1954 when the organization was based in New York. “I got called back up early in ‘09, May of ‘09. I got called back up with the Giants and finished out the year with those guys. I caught Sanchez’s no hitter and hit my first home run in Houston. That was a good year,” Whiteside said. “Last year (2010 season) was just crazy. We kind of caught fire there towards the end, kind of the right place at the right time. It was

something I felt like I had ever been a part of. The World Series experience was pretty incredible. Then the parade to follow that was something I will never forget.” Whiteside, who recently signed a one-year deal to return to the Giants, has a bevy of top pitchers to catch. Tim Lincecum, aka “The Freak” and two-time Cy Young Award winner, is the leader of a staff that had three players — Lincecum, Matt Cain and Ryan Vogelsong — finish in the top 10 of ERA and innings pitched. Whiteside said Lincecum is the toughest of all the standouts to catch because everything he throws has movement. “He doesn’t really throw anything straight. He’s fastball, curveball, slider, change and he’s got movement with everything. He’s a little erratic at times but I think that’s one of the thing that helps him out,” Whiteside said. “He’s probably one of the tougher guys to catch but I enjoy catching them all because it’s one of the best staffs in all of baseball to catch. Ryan Voglesong, he had a great year, he was a lot of fun to catch. He and Matt Cain and (Madison) Bumgardner, all three of those guys are a lot of fun to catch.” Whiteside, who has hit 10 home runs and driven in 41 RBIs during his career, is a wellknown person in his hometown. He joked that he has kept a lot of people “up late” watching his West Coast games on TV but added he wouldn’t be where he is now without a lot of support and love from his family and friends in Union County. “I guess I’ve kept a few folks up late at night, made them pretty tired going to work the next day I guess,” said Whiteside, who makes his home in New Albany every offseason. “Everybody greets you with a handshake and a smile when I come back in town. I’m blessed. I really am. To have so many great people in my life has really been so wonderful. I can’t thank my supporters enough. I really appreciate all the support I’ve gotten from all the hometown folks.” When Whiteside isn’t speaking with his supporters around time, he and his wife and young son spend time together. He said he likes to camp and shortly after getting back home from the West Coast, he took in a music festival in Arkansas. Whiteside is also very into youth sports and has been supportive of the baseball scene in and around New Albany. His advice for youngsters is to follow their dream and continue to work hard in an effort to reach their goals. “It’s a lot of hard work but if it’s something they really believe in, my advice is to strive for them to be the best,” Whiteside said. “There are a lot of good baseball players in the state, a lot of good athletes that hopefully will get a chance like I was able to get.” - MSM

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 25

2012 college BASEBALL Preview 26 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Mississippi State Sports Information MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 27

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY PAUL JONES,

mississippistate.247sports.com

MISSISSIPPI STATE

BULLDOGS

year ago, Mississippi State’s baseball program came within one win, or more specifically four outs, from clinching a spot in the College World Series. This spring, head coach John Cohen enters his fourth season at the helm with hopes of a veteran pitching staff aiding the efforts to take that final step. The Bulldogs finished 38-25 last season and won the Georgia Tech Regional before falling in the championship game against Florida in the super regional. While pitching has been bothered by inexperience and injuries the past two years, the 2012 campaign should see a role reversal. MSU lost just one pitcher that had significant innings off last year’s club in Devin Jones. The likes of Chris Stratton, Evan Mitchell, Luis Pollorena and Ben Bracwell return this fall. Two years ago Bracewell led the team in saves but missed all of last year with a shoulder injury. ìI like our club,î Cohen said. ìI think we have some good young players. But different from the past couple of years, we will have a veteran pitching staff and some guys who have pitched a lot of innings in the SEC. So we expect, if healthy, those guys to carry us early on and to help our inexperienced infield. “Plus, we have Ben Bracewell coming back and he missed all of last year. He is very, very talented and it is like getting another big recruit in here.” While the 2012 Bulldog edition is rich on veteran arms, the same can’t be said for the rest of the roster. The Bulldogs do return a couple of starters in the outfield but Cohen and company must replace last year’s entire starting infield. With that said, the Bulldogs will turn to some younger guys who got their feet wet last year some in major roles and others in limited roles. Also getting a shot at early playing time will be a few 2012 signees, said Cohen. ìDaryl Norris is a sophomore this year who is going to have to play a much more prominent role at third and might pitch out of the bullpen for us,î Cohen said. ìBrayden Jones is a guy who is had a really solid fall who is a redshirt freshman coming back. Wes Rea is a redshirt freshman coming back who could play a big role for

28 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Miss. State Sports Information

OUTFIELDER - C.T. BRADFORD us. ìHunter Renfroe is a guy that will be a sophomore. He is a very, very talented young man who we are going to need to step up. Mitch Slauter is a junior college catcher that we feel like will contribute,î Cohen said. ìMatthew Britton is a freshman shortstop that we feel like has a chance to step in and play for us. Phillip Casey is a freshman middle infielder who we feel like has a chance to play for us.” OUTFIELD While the Bulldogs are short on infield expe-

rience, Cohen does welcome back a couple of proven SEC performers in the outfield - senior co-captain Brent Brownlee and sophomore C.T. Bradford. After battling injuries for much of his career, Brownlee enjoyed a solid junior season and played in 46 games and hit .279 with 24 RBIs and scored 18 runs. Meanwhile, Bradford got his college career off to a solid start and started 61 of 63 games for the Bulldogs. Bradford ranked third on the team with his .303 batting average and also drove in 34 runs. “Well, we donít have many outfielders on

the schedule Feb. 17..................................Washington State Feb. 18..................................Washington State Feb. 19..................................Washington State Feb. 24........................................................Kansas Feb. 25.................................. Miss. Valley State Feb. 25........................................................Kansas Feb. 26.................................. Miss. Valley State Feb. 29....................................................Memphis Mar. 2.....................................................Lipscomb Mar. 3................................................Connecticut Mar. 4.....................................................Lipscomb Mar. 6...................................................Penn State Mar. 7...................................................Penn State Mar. 9........................................................... Mercer Mar. 10......................................................... Mercer Mar. 11........................................................... Mercer Mar. 13.................@ Southeastern Louisiana Mar. 14.................@ Southeastern Louisiana Mar. 16..........................................................@ LSU Mar. 17...........................................................@ LSU Mar. 18..........................................................@ LSU Mar. 21.......................................... Alabama A&M Mar. 23................................................... Arkansas Mar. 24................................................... Arkansas Mar. 25................................................... Arkansas Mar. 27............................................. Alcorn State Mar. 30................................................. @ Auburn Mar. 31.................................................. @ Auburn Apr. 1..................................................... @ Auburn Apr. 3..................................... Miss. Valley State Apr. 6....................................................Vanderbilt Apr. 7....................................................Vanderbilt Apr. 8....................................................Vanderbilt Aprl. 11....................................... South Alabama Apr. 13................................... @ South Carolina Apr. 14................................... @ South Carolina Apr. 15................................... @ South Carolina Apr. 17.................................................... Ole Miss# Apr. 19..................................................Tennessee Apr. 20.................................................Tennessee Apr. 21...................................................Tennessee Apr. 24......................................Southern Miss# Apr. 27..................................................... Ole Miss Apr. 28..................................................... Ole Miss Apr. 29..................................................... Ole Miss May 4................................................. @ Alabama May 5................................................. @ Alabama May 6................................................. @ Alabama May 11..................................................... @ Florida May 12................................................... @ Florida May 13................................................... @ Florida May 15....................................Central Arkansas May 17....................................................Kentucky May 18....................................................Kentucky May 19....................................................Kentucky May 23-27............................ SEC Tournament # Trustmark Park, Pearl, MS

Photo courtesy Miss. State Sports Information

PITCHER - LUIS POLLORENA our club and thatís by design,” said Cohen. “We donít recruit many outfielders because we feel like the best athletes in the recruiting process are middle infielders and they can be converted. Certainly C.T. Bradford has a chance to be one of the better outfielders in the SEC when you combined all the skills of the game - the base running, the ability to play the outfield and his offensive skills. “Brent Brownlee had a great fall. He has a couple of injuries he is nursing right now, but he is a great leader for us and he really came on at the end of last year. He is a very, very good defender and offensively over the last two or three years, he has really turned a corner there. Among the other candidates to draw a starting outfield spot include a pair of sophomores that got their first college reps in 2011 and both were also dual-position players. Hunter Renfroe, who could also see some time at catcher and on the mound, received 26 at-bats last season as a true freshman and also threw 4.2 innings on the mound. Meanwhile, Taylor Stark received more action than Renfroe last year, had one home run and five RBIs in 33 total at-bats and also ranked second on the team with a 2.95 earned run average and two saves. “I think we have several candidates for the other outfield spot,” said Cohen. “I think Hunter Renfroe is a guy who can play the outfield. Youíre talking about a guy who can throw a baseball a hundred miles an hour, can run a 6.7 60, and a guy who can hit the ball out of the ballpark. He is still learning the outfield and as soon as Hunter becomes a real student of the game, I think the sky is the limit for him as a

player. “Taylor Stark played the outfield and did a solid job for us.” Also expected to battle for playing time in the outfield is highly-touted 2011 signee Brandon Woodruff, who was drafted in the Top 10 rounds of last summer’s MLB Draft but opted to go to college. “Yeah, I think he has a chance to play some outfield, too,” said Cohen of Woodruff. “He came in and really swung the bat well this fall and we are actually transitioning him and putting him at first base right now. We have been working hard to get him use to playing around first base. We really wanted to do that during the course of the fall but because Wes Rea got hurt and the fact that we didnít have many outfielders, he was kind of forced to play more outfield. But he is a very, very talented young man. With his size its hard to believe how good a defensive outfielder he is.” INFIELD When MSU opens the 2012 campaign, there is little doubt fans will get their first full-time looks with several guys on the infield. MSU must replace its’ entire starting infield and that includes the catchers’ spot. But there are a couple of guys returning in sophomore Adam Frazier and DeMarcus Henderson that received playing time as true freshmen. Frazier got the most significant play last year concerning returning infielders and hit .274 with 14 RBIs. Henderson was injured for much of the season with an eye injury that has since been corrected. “Well it certainly starts with Adam Frazier,” MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 29

Cohen said. “He had a great fall, he had a great summer, and he had a very good freshman year. Adam is going to play for us. Is it second base? Is it shortstop? Thatís something we are going to have to evaluate. Most folks, including Adam, donít know or realize how much a second baseman figures into your infield because they touch it more than any other infielder besides the first baseman. His ability to convert double plays and his leadership, he is going to be big part of what we are doing. “I think Demarcus Henderson made some great strides this fall, too. And certainly he can be a guy who can play either side. He really profiles more as a left side of the infield guy. Is that third base? Is that shortstop? We will have to wait and see.” Young guys along with veteran defender Sam Frost will aid in the depth at the middle infield spots, added Cohen. Moving to the corner spots, sophomore Daryl Norris hit .277 with 20 RBIs a year ago and also played a role on the mound with a 2-0 record and 3.20 earned run average. Norris saw most of his time at first base but could move across the diamond this year. At third base, we have moved Daryl Norris to third base,” said Cohen. “He has played a lot of third base. He played third base in high school. I thought he had a solid fall there. He really had a phenomenal offensive fall at that position. (Redshirt freshman) Brayden Jones played a lot of third base and progressed there. “Then we have a freshman who hurt his shoulder early in the year, a kid named Nick Flair who was a draft pick last year. I think he has a chance to be a great, great player if we can get him healthy. He is the 6-1 or 6-2 and 290-pound guy that really looks the part. But again he is a pure freshman and has not experienced all the things you have to in order to contribute a lot as a freshman and I think his injury really hampered him also.” At first base, redshirt freshman Wes Rea is expected to draw a starting nod but Cohen noted Rea was injured in the fall and that allowed others to step into the picture. “Wes Rea is a guy who had a really solid fall ‘till he hurt his foot,” said Cohen. “But he is 6-6 and 290 pounds. He is a big target. He has great feet and hands for a guy his size at first base. And certainly he is an offensive threat. “We have had a kid named Trey Porter from Gulf Coast Community College who had a great fall offensively and really has worked really hard to become a very good defensive first baseman. I think if he can become a great defender at first he has a chance to play a lot for us as well. Behind the plate, 2011 seniors Cody Freeman and Wes Thigpen alternated at catcher. But with both now graduated, Cohen will have inexperience at that spot but isn’t short on talent nor candidates. “I really think (juco transfer) Mitch Slauter 30 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Miss. State Sports Information

INFIELDER - Daryl Norris has come in and done what is very difficult to do and thatís fit in immediately and connect with pitchers,” said Cohen. “He has worked so hard with coach (Butch) Thompson. He comes in everyday to talk to him about all the little tiny things that go into catching our pitching staff. We have a lot of different looks on the mound so itís difficult. “I think (former Seton Hall transfer) Nick Ammirati is somebody who has worked very, very hard to get into the mix to catch also. Hunter Renfroe is probably our most talented player behind the plate. And Hunter has gotten better with his blocking and his receiving.” PITCHING As noted above, where the Bulldogs are not short on depth and experience is on the mound. MSU returns the likes of top reliever Caleb Reed as well as 2011 starting pitchers Chris Stratton, Nick Routt and Evan Mitchell. Reed led MSU last year with a 1.95 era and 12 saves while Stratton, Routt and Mitchell all drew SEC weekend starts. Cohen also has other veterans returning along with 2010 top reliever Ben Bracewell, who missed all of last season with injury. ìIt is anchored by Caleb Reed who has experience and is a great leader,î Cohen said. ìHe is a guy you feel really comfortable with on the mound. Chris Stratton had a great summer in the Cape Cod league as did Nick Routt. Kendall Graveman and all those guys pitched well at the Cape. Then getting Ben Bracewell back is like having another recruit because he didnít pitch a year ago. We feel like he has a chance to be really good. “I really like the depth of our pitching staff. I

think thatís where the majority of our leadership is going to come from. I like where we are behind the plate with our group of catchers. We are going to be very inexperienced on the infield and thatís a concern but at the same time, we have some really talented kids who are going to be great, great players on our infield. Itís just a question of how quickly they get experienced and how well they can perform early on. Of course, that amount of talent and experience gives Cohen the good problem of deciding who draws those crucial weekend starts in the SEC. A trio of 2011 signees could also figure into the mix on the weekends and also in midweek starts. “Well, itís really going to depend on the health,” said Cohen. “But I donít think you can have a conversation about that unless you mention an Evan Mitchell who had a great fall. Ben Bracewell is somebody I think can be one of the best pitchers on our entire staff. Can he get us six, seven innings into a ballgame every weekend? Nick Routt had a great fall and a great summer. You have got to like the stuff and great poise of what we are getting from Chris Stratton who had a great summer in the Cape. Certainly I think he is one of the more talented kids in our league. “The question with Chris is we really want Chris to start running his own program from the standpoint of just controlling his game and being a more forceful personality on the mound. He has worked very hard in that area and I think if he makes that jump, he can be one the best guys not only in our league but around the country. Then you have three freshmen who can pitch for us in a staring position also. I think when you talk about Will Cox, Bran-

don Woodruff and Trevor Fitts, those are three guys that we feel are not your typical freshmen guys. They can step in and pitch pretty quickly for us. Those three guys have shown poise and they have done a great job for us.” Like Woodruff, MSU also dodged the MLB draft with another 2011 signee in southpaw pitcher Jacob Lindgren, who Cohen believes will play a significant role this spring. “Jacob Lindgren is a guy who has shown a power left handed breaking ball and tremendous stuff in the fall,” Cohen said. “So he could work into a starting position whether in the middle of the week or on the weekend. But he has a role immediately as we begin because I think he would be very difficult for left-handed hitters to deal with.” With Reed pacing the bullpen, the Diamond Dogs also have other mix-and-match options out of the pen. In 2011 lefty Luis Pollorena was 7-5 with a 4.45 era and was a crucial piece in State’s late-season postseason push.

“Out of the bullpen you have to love the leadership that Caleb Reed has brought to us,” said Cohen. “You have to like Luis Pollorena coming out of the pen. Pollo could be a midweek guy starter also. Taylor Stark kept really getting better as the fall went on. He had some great performances in the Bulldog World Series. Kendall Graveman is somebody who went out and a great summer in the Cape and could do some things for us out of the bullpen or as a starting guy. He has gotten a lot of ground balls.” And the set-up guys also feature needed SEC depth. “Daryl Norris is somebody who could be a middle guy for us and give us some innings,” noted Cohen. “Chad Girodo has gotten so much better as has Andrew Busby. Tim Statz has been converted into a down under guy. He could be a left-on-left guy for us. Tanner Gaines has improved immensely. Ross Mitchell is somebody who has gotten a lot better.” - MSM

the ROSTER NO.... NAME.................................... POS............HT/WT......... B/T.........YR......................................................... HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 2..........Demarcus Henderson..............inf ...............5-11/170 .........R-R .....RFr. RS ............................................... Waynesboro, Miss. (Wayne County HS) 3 ........Phillip Casey ................................inf ...............6-0/163 ......... L-R ....... Fr. HS ........................................ Sugarland, Texas (Fort Bend Clements HS) 4 ........Ben Bracewell ............................rhp ..............6-0/192 .......R-R R.......So. 1L .......................................... Chelsea, Ala. (Briarwood Christian School) 5 ........Daryl Norris ............................ inf/rhp . ......... 6-1 222 ..........R-R .......So. 1L .................................................... Fairhope, Ala. (Fairhope High School) 6 ........C.C. Watson ................................ lhp ..............6-0 196 ......... L-L ...... RSo. 1L .........................................................Heflin, Ala. (Cleburne High School) 7 ........Taylor Stark . ............................of/rhp ...........6-0 185 . ........R-R .......So. 1L ...............................Flowood, Miss. (Northwest Rankin High School) 8 ........Sam Frost .....................................inf .............. 5-10 165 ......... L-R ........Jr. 2L ............................................................Hoover, Ala. (Hoover High School) 9 ........Tyler Fullerton .........................of/inf ............ 5-9 154 ..........R-R ...... Fr. HS ............................................ Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Siegel High School) 10 ......C.T. Bradford ........................... of/lhp ...........5-8 160 . ........ L-L ........So. 1L ......................................................................Pace, Fla. (Pace High School) 12 .......Adam Frazier ..............................inf................ 5-10 170 ........ L-R ........So. 1L ...........................................Bishop, Ga. (Oconee County High School) 13 .......Brayden Jones ...........................inf ...............5-11 180.......... R-R .....RFr. RS ..................................Madison, Miss. (Madison Central High School) 14 ......Jonathan Holder ......................rhp ..............6-2 232 .........R-R ...... Fr. HS ................................................... Gulfport, Miss. (Gulfport High School) 15 .......Matthew Britton ........................inf ............... 5-11 176 .......... L-R ....... Fr. HS ...................................................... Cullman, Ala. (Cullman High School) 17 .......Nick Ammirati ............................. c ................5-9 194 ..........S-R ........... Jr. ........ JC Sparta, N.J. (Seton Hall Prep/Seton Hall/Panola [TX] JC) 18 . .....Chad Girodo ............................... lhp ...............6-1 186 .......... L-L ........... Jr. ................................................. 2L Hartselle, Ala. (Hartselle High School) 21 .......Jacob Lindgren . ....................... lhp ...............5-11 191 .......... R-L ....... Fr. HS ............................... Bay St. Louis, Miss. (St. Stanislaus High School) 22 ......Luis Pollorena ............................ lhp .............. 5-7 158 .......... L-L .........Jr. 1L ....................... Laredo, Texas (United HS/Marion [AL] Military Inst.) 24 .....Brandon Woodruff ........... rhp/of/inf .......6-2 220 ......... L-R ....... Fr. HS ................................................... Wheeler, Miss. (Wheeler High School) 25 . ....Nick Flair .......................................inf ................6-1 182 ..........R-R ...... Fr. HS ..................................... Belle Chasse, La. (Belle Chasse High School) 28 .....Chris Stratton ............................rhp ..............6-3 190 . ........R-R .......Jr. 2L ........................................................... Tupelo, Miss. (Tupelo High School) 29 .....Mitch Slauter ................................ c .................6-1 195 ..........R-R .......... Jr. ..........................JC Kansas City, Kans. (Olathe North HS/Barton CC) 31 .......Trevor Fitts ..................................rhp .............. 6-2 218 ..........R-R ...... Fr. HS ...........................................................Helena, Ala. (Pelham High School) 32 . ....Trey Porter ................................... 1b . ..............6-1 209 .......... L-R ........... Jr. ....................................JC Moss Point, Miss. (East Central HS/MGCCC) 33 .....Preston Brown ..........................rhp .............. 5-11 175 ..........R-R ...... Fr. HS .................................Germantown, Tenn. (St. George’s High School) 34 .....Hunter Renfroe ....................c/of/rhp .........6-2 205 .........R-R .......So. 1L ..............................................Crystal Springs, Miss. (Copiah Academy) 35 .....Wes Rea ....................................1b/rhp ...........6-5 296 .........R-R ...... Fr. RS .................................. Gulfport, Miss. (Harrison Central High School) 36 .....Nick Routt ................................... lhp ............. 6-4 202 ......... L-L ...... RJr. 2L .........................Silver Spring, Md. (St. Johns College High School) 37 ......Caleb Reed .................................rhp .............5-10 202 ........R-R .......Sr. 3L ........................................................... Cleveland, Miss. (Bayou Academy) 38 .....Will Cox ........................................rhp .............. 6-3 231 ..........R-R........ Fr. HS ..........................................................Amory, Miss. (Amory High School) 39 .....Tanner Gaines ............................rhp .............. 6-0 172 ..........R-R .....RFr. RS .................................................Baldwyn, Miss. (Baldwyn High School) 42 .....Brent Brownlee .......................... of . ..............6-0 188 .........R-R .......Sr. 2L ..........................................................Oxford, Miss. (Oxford High School) 44 ......Andrew Busby .................................rhp .................6-4 215 ............R-R ..........Jr. 1L . ............Gardendale, Ala. (Gardendale HS/Wallace State-Hanceville CC) 46 .....Tim Statz....................................... lhp ..............6-0 165 . ........ L-L ........ Sr. 1L .................................... St. Louis, Mo. (Marquette HS/Hutchinson CC) 48 .....Ross Mitchell .............................. lhp ..............6-0 168 ......... L-L ......RFr. RS ................................................Smyrna, Tenn. (Blackman High School) 49 .....Kendall Graveman ...................rhp ...............6-1 190 ..........R-R .......Jr. 2L .......................Alexander City, Ala. (Benjamin Russell High School) 51 .......Evan Mitchell.............................. rhp ............. 6-2 173 ..........R-R .......So. 1L ........................................................Marietta, Ga. (Wheeler High School)

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall............................................................38-25 Conference....................................................14-16 Non-Conference......................................... 24-9 Home Games............................................... 22-12 Away Games.................................................. 12-11 Neutral Sites....................................................4-2 Day Games.................................................... 21-16 Night Games...................................................17-9 vs. Left Starters........................................... 13-12 vs. Right Starters....................................... 25-13 1 - Run Games.................................................7-6 2 - Run Games................................................ 7-5 5+ Run Games.............................................18-10 Extra Innings.....................................................0-1 Shutouts............................................................6-3 Scoring 0-2 Runs..........................................1-12 Scoring 3-5 Runs.........................................10-11 Scoring 6-9 Runs..........................................17-2 Scoring 10+ Runs.........................................10-0 When leading after 6................................. 31-3 When trailing after 6................................. 6-19 When tied after 6........................................... 1-3 When leading after 7................................30-3 When trailing after 7................................. 4-22 When tied after 7......................................... 3-0 When leading after 8................................. 34-1 When trailing after 8................................. 2-23 When tied after 8............................................ 1-1 Hit 0 homeruns..........................................24-18 Hit 1 homerun..................................................8-6 Hit 2+ homeruns............................................. 6-1 Opponents 0 homeruns......................... 27-9 Opponents 1 homerun..............................10-11 Opponents 2+ homeruns........................... 1-5 Made 0 errors.................................................12-2 Made 1 error....................................................13-7 Made 2+ errors........................................... 14-10 Opponent 0 errors..................................... 15-8 Opponent 1 error......................................... 14-9 Opponent 2+ errors.....................................9-8 Out-hit Opponent.......................................27-3 Out-hit by Opponent................................7-22 Hits are tied..................................................... 4-0 Scored in 1st inning.....................................21-3 Opponent scored in 1st..............................8-11 Scores first..................................................... 30-7 Opponent scores first............................... 8-18

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Miss. State Opponents

1 61 41

2 50 36

3 39 35

4 55 43

5 40 41

6 45 38

7 57 33

8 20 22

9 13 21

EX 0 1

Total 380 311

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 31

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY JOHN DAVIS, The Oxford Eagle

OLE MISS

REBELS

here is not a visible ornament or written reminder in Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco’s office that shows the Rebels were not included in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. For the first time in nine seasons, and just the second time in Bianco’s coaching tenure, the Ole Miss baseball program missed playing baseball in the postseason. Not advancing to the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Hoover, Ala., as well as an NCAA regional, are two things Bianco is well aware of and he doesn’t need anything or anybody to remind about the gory details. His goal, since the Rebels were eliminated from postseason play at Arkansas, was to make sure the Rebels returned to the NCAA Tournament and advance to the College World Series, his main goal since Bianco arrived in Oxford following the end of the 2000 season. “It was certainly a big blow (not making the NCAA Tournament). To go eight or nine years in a row and something that we’re used to, you certainly don’t take it for granted, but when you don’t go, it’s a big blow and it makes you hungry,” Bianco said. “But making the NCAA tournament is not the goal. The goal is to make it to Omaha. To me you can’t just want to make the tournament. To me, our goals are bigger than that. “We want to host regionals, host super regionals and go to Omaha. This team has probably talked more about Omaha than any club in a while so that’s refreshing,” Bianco said. “There are guys in the program that this is going to be their last year either because of the draft or they’re seniors and they want to leave their mark.” Ole Miss has been close, one win away close, to making it to Omaha to compete in the CWS three different times in the past seven years. Some of the same characteristics that were present in those teams are things he saw from this year’s group during the fall. “There are teams that we’ve had that have been super successful and you knew it from the beginning. The ‘05 team was one where we were coming off our first regional. (Stephen)

32 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information

HEAD COACH - MIKE BIANCO Head, (Brian) Pettway, (Matt) Maloney were all going to be juniors. We were experienced. It was an old club that had success. We knew we would be good, but how good would we be? We ended up being a national seed,” Bianco said. “The 2006 team that got close was a

different team that found another way to win games. The 2009 team, they were blue-collar guys. We had a lot of guys get drafted, but not real high expect for Drew Pomeranz. I don’t think anybody would have thought we would have won the SEC title, but they found a way.

the schedule Feb. 17......................................................... @ TCU Feb. 18......................................................... @ TCU Feb. 19......................................................... @ TCU Feb. 21........................................Arkansas State Feb. 24...................................UNC-Wilmington Feb. 25...................................UNC-Wilmington Feb. 26...................................UNC-Wilmington Feb. 28....................................................Memphis Mar. 2................................................. Miami (OH) Mar. 3................................................. Miami (OH) Mar. 4................................................. Miami (OH) Mar. 6.....................................Tennessee-Martin Mar. 9........................................................Houston Mar. 10......................................................Houston Mar. 11........................................................Houston Mar. 13...............................................@ Louisville Mar. 14...............................................@ Louisville Mar. 16........................................................Auburn Mar. 17.........................................................Auburn Mar. 18........................................................Auburn Mar. 20.........................................Southern Miss Mar. 23.............................................. @ Alabama Mar. 24.............................................. @ Alabama Mar. 25.............................................. @ Alabama Mar. 27.......................................... Jackson State Mar. 30........................................................ Florida Mar. 31......................................................... Florida Apr. 1............................................................ Florida Apr. 3.........................................Southern Miss# Apr. 6................................................ @ Kentucky Apr. 7................................................ @ Kentucky Apr. 8................................................ @ Kentucky Apr. 10....................................Central Arkansas Apr. 11......................................Central Arkansas Apr. 12...................................................@ Georgia Apr. 13..................................................@ Georgia Apr. 14..................................................@ Georgia Apr. 17............................................... Miss. State# Apr. 20................................................... Arkansas Apr. 21..................................................... Arkansas Apr. 22................................................... Arkansas Apr. 24.............................................. @ Memphis Apr. 27...........................................@ Miss. State Apr. 28...........................................@ Miss. State Apr. 29...........................................@ Miss. State May 1................................................Murray State May 4................................................................. LSU May 5................................................................. LSU May 6................................................................. LSU May 11....................................................Tennessee May 12..................................................Tennessee May 13..................................................Tennessee May 15.................................. @ Arkansas State May 17............................................ @ Vanderbilt May 18............................................ @ Vanderbilt May 19............................................ @ Vanderbilt May 23-27...........................SEC Tournament # Trustmark Park

Photo courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information

PITCHER - BOBBY WAHL “I think this year’s team has a neat personality in that way. It’s been a terrific fall workethic wise. Even with a lot of new faces, and a big recruiting class, the chemistry, it seems like it’s there, seems to be greater than it was last year,” Bianco added. “I think players and coaches alike thought it was a really good fall. We return a lot of the position players from last year and certainly when you look at the club on paper, that looks to be the strength. We had an outstanding recruiting class that was ranked as high as No. 3 in the country with some high-profile pitchers in that class and certainly some of those guys are going to have to pitch this year. The first big test is when we start playing games and go through adversity and see how they respond.” Fortunately for Bianco, he will get to see how his team responds to adversity with several returning position players such as junior second baseman Alex Yarbrough, junior outfielder Tanner Mathis and senior first baseman Matt Snyder, the undisputed leader of the team from an experience standpoint. Bianco said there was a calm excitement displayed during the fall and heading into winter practice that will get the Rebels in shape for the 2012 season. The most experience is in the field and at the plate. “I think collectively, when you look at us in the fall and look at us on paper, it’s a pretty

good club,” Bianco said. “If you look around the infield, we basically return the entire infield. You got the two shortstops, you got Snyder at first, (Preston) Overbey at third, you got Yarbrough at second, you got Will Allen and Taylor Hightower behind the plate, Mathis back in the outfield.” Ole Miss hit .282 as a team last year, with 46 home runs, 85 doubles and 44 stolen bases. A new bat was introduced into college baseball in 2011, one that diminished the amount of power a team was used to creating. Bianco said last year’s lineup wasn’t suited to swing the new bat, but he thought this year’s roster, filled with more speed, would be more balanced. “I don’t know if this team will steal as many bases as the ‘06 team did with (Chris) Coghlan and (Justin) Henry and (Alex) Presley. We stole over 100 bases with those guys. We’re certainly more athletic and will certainly be able to do more than we did last year,” Bianco said. “We knew the bats were coming and sometimes you are who you are. When you look at us last year opening day, that lineup wasn’t built for those bats. When you got guys like (Matt) Smith and Snyder and (Miles) Hamblin and (Zach) Kirksey, we had some big, physical guys in the lineup. We didn’t have the speed that a lot of other teams had. Last year’s position players really weren’t a good team with MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 33

Photo courtesy Ole Miss Sports Information

INFIELDER - BLAKE NEWALU those bats. “Through 56 games last year we were actually third in the SEC in home runs but it was all relative. It wasn’t like we had 80. To lead the SEC in home runs last year you had like 60 which would put you in the middle of the pack or at the bottom most other years. The team was somewhat physical. I think in the SEC games we may have been one or two in home runs, but you can’t win that way,” Bianco added. “You got to be able to bunt. You got to be able to steal. It doesn’t mean that home runs aren’t important, it’s just not as critical to the offense as they once where because you just don’t hit as many.” Defense is an area of the game that Bianco has placed great emphasis on over the years and he thinks the experience that his players have at the plate will translate to the field. “The same guys that play offense have to defend. Last year we weren’t real good in the field. I think because of the experience in the infield, we’re going to be better,” Bianco said. “You just watch the growth of guys like Yarbrough, who had a terrific year last year, but the growth from freshman year to sophomore year, you start to realize what experience means. You realize how much better Overbey is going to be, (Austin) Anderson and (Blake) Newalu and Allen. I think those young guys getting a year under their belt, even though some of them may not have had the best freshman year, it’s a big difference.” One of the returners who has shown a lot 34 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

of improvement, both on offense and defense, is Kirksey, who despite being a junior college transfer, had to deal with first-year growing pains. “We’re missing the two corner outfielders but Kirksey is back from last year who had a great fall. He’s a junior college kid that actually started at the beginning of (2011) and was more of a role player at the end of the year,” Bianco said. “With the addition of some other guys, I think we’ve got an opportunity to be pretty good offensively.” Some newcomers that are expected to add depth in the outfield are freshmen Senquez Golson and Chief Brown, who are both football players. Auston Bousfield, a freshman from Florida, also had a good fall as did Memphis native Will Jamison, another freshman. PITCHING If there was an area that was included heavily in the 2011 signing class, it was the pitching staff. Bianco signed several arms to help fill the void for last season’s weekend rotation as well as add depth to a staff that had a 4.25 ERA last year. Bianco said it’s a lot to expect freshmen to contribute right away, especially in the fall, but added there are always guys that have better springs than falls for several reasons. “When pitchers come into the program, I can’t remember any pitcher just coming in and dominating in the fall. That’s from Drew Pomeranz to Lance Lynn and guys that had great careers and pitched great as freshmen.

It’s tough for guys to come in the first fall. They seem to pitch under their talent level. Not just statistically, but also velocity. They’re not as good their first fall as maybe they were in high school,” Bianco said. “There are several reasons. One, the physical demands that are put on them in the weight room and practices and bullpens and things of that nature that I don’t know they are quite ready for. I think it takes time for their bodies to adjust. I think there is a little bit of an intimidation factor. They’ve always been the best player wherever they’ve been and now they step on the field and it’s pretty even talent wise and guys that have success in the Southeastern Conference so I think they’re a little nervous. “I think when you add all of that up, the first fall that the pitchers are here, they don’t have a great fall. Then all of sudden something clicks in the springtime.” The biggest difference between last season and this year is figuring out who the weekend starters will be. “The biggest difference on the mound between this year’s team and last year’s team was last year it was easier to decide who was going to be a weekend starter. Just watching guys in the fall last year, David Goforth, Matt Crouse and Austin Wright pitched so well, that you knew they were going to be the weekend starters. They were all juniors and it seemed like it fit,” Bianco said. “The problem was we didn’t have an ace, just nobody that was dominant. We didn’t have that Mark Holliman, the Will

Kline, the Lynn, the Friday Night guy that no matter who you play, you always had a good shot to win. We just didn’t match up well on Friday night. Matt was a great pitcher, but he wasn’t that guy on Friday night that we needed.” The Friday Night guy, the ace of this year’s team, is shaping up to be sophomore Bobby Wahl. Last year the native of Springfield, Va., saw most of his action out of the bullpen. Wahl’s stats weren’t overly impressive (0-2, 4.80 ERA), but he did tie for the team lead in saves (4) and had 26 strikeouts in 30 innings of work. Wahl was a 39th-round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians coming out of high school due to his frame (6-3, 200) throwing ability. “This year Bobby Wahl seems to be that guy. Bobby Wahl, going into his sophomore

year now, has electric stuff. He’s a great competitor, a leader and I think someone who gives us that Friday Night guy we were missing last year,” Bianco said. “R.J. Hively, if we started today, would be the Saturday starter. He was a junior college kid that came in last year and didn’t pitch a ton. He was recruited to be a weekend guy and like we’ve said for others, it took him some time to figure it out. “He certainly has it and he was terrific all fall. You recruit the junior college kid because you hope the learning curve is quicker, you hope that they can get on the field faster and be more productive, but it doesn’t always turn out that way,” Bianco added. “There are a lot of kids, if you look throughout the years, that some of the junior college kids have a much better senior year than their junior year.” MSM

the ROSTER NO...NAME................................ POS............ B/T........ HT/WT.......... YR...........................HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1..........Preston Overbey....................... IF/OF.............6-4/210............R/R............... SO-1L........ Jackson, Tenn. (University School of Jackson) 2.........Alex Yarbrough............................. IF................. 5-11/185.............S/R............... JR-2L................................................................. Allen, Texas (Allen) 3.........Austin Knight..................................C.................5-11/205............R/R...............FR-HS........................................Hattiesburg, Miss. (Sumrall HS) 4.........Will Jamison.............................OF/LHP..........6-0/170............ L/L...............FR-HS........................Memphis, Tenn. (Evangelical Christian) 6.........Blake Newalu.................................. IF................. 5-11/185.............R/R................SR-1L...........................................McDonough, Ga. (Chipola CC) 7.........Senquez Golson...........................OF................6-0/180............R/R...............FR-HS....................................... Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula) 8.........Austin Anderson........................... IF.................6-0/190............L/R............... SO-1L........................................Sorrento, Fla. (Mount Dora HS) 9.........Auston Bousfield.........................OF............... 5-10/170............R/R...............FR-HS............................................. Oakland, Fla. (West Orange) 10.......Chris Ellis........................................RHP.............. 6-5/195.............L/R...............FR-HS..........................................Birmingham, Ala. (Spain Park) 11.........Zach Kirksey..................................OF................ 6-0/214.............L/R................SR-1L........................................ West Monroe, La. (LSU-Eunice) 12.......Tanner Mathis................................OF................5-11/180............ L/L............... JR-2L.................................................... Lake Charles, La. (Barbe) 13.......Taylor Hightower...........................C................. 5-11/215.............S/R...............SR-3L............................................ Cartersville, Ga. (Cartersville) 16.......Chase Reeves...........................OF/LHP......... 5-11/200............ L/L...............FR-HS..................................................Hamilton, Miss. (Hamilton) 17.......Casey Mulholland.................. RHP/OF..........6-4/180............R/R...............FR-HS...... Bradenton, Fla. (The Pendleton School at IMG) 18.......Tyler Roach................................. IF/OF............ 6-3/200............ L/L...............JR-JC...................................Norcross, Ga. (Northwest Shoals) 19.......Bobby Wahl..................................RHP............. 6-3/200............R/R............... SO-1L................................. Springfield, Va. (West Springfield) 20......Josh Laxer.....................................RHP.............. 6-2/210.............R/R...............FR-HS....................................Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) 21.......Hawtin Buchanan.......................RHP............. 6-8/250............L/R...............FR-HS..........................................................Biloxi, Miss. (Biloxi HS) 22......Jake Overbey................................. IF................. 6-2/185.............R/R...............FR-HS........ Jackson, Tenn. (University School of Jackson) 24......Sikes Orvis.....................................IF/C..............6-2/220............L/R...............FR-HS...............................................Orlando, Fla. (Freedom HS) 25......Andrew Mistone............................ IF.................6-0/190............R/R...............JR-JC.......................................La Verne, Calif. (Rio Hondo CC) 26......Dustin McWilliams.....................LHP.............. 6-2/182............. L/L...............JR-JC........................................ Collinsville, Miss. (Meridian CC) 27......R.J. Hively.......................................RHP.............. 6-2/215.............R/R................SR-1L........... Huntington Beach, Calif. (Santa Ana College) 28......Mike Mayers..................................RHP.............. 6-3/195.............R/R............... SO-1L............................................Grove City, Ohio (Grove City) 29......Sam Smith.....................................RHP..............6-4/210............S/R...............FR-HS.................................................... Lake Charles, La. (Barbe) 30......Will Allen........................................C/IF.............. 6-3/218.............R/R............... SO-1L.................................................Gainesville, Fla. (Buchholz) 31.......Tanner Bailey................................RHP.............. 6-7/225.............R/R........... RS JR-RS..................................Little Rock, Ark. (Texarkana CC) 32......Dylan Chavez...............................LHP..............6-3/190............ L/L...............JR-JC...................... Sacramento, Calif. (American River CC) 33......Matt Snyder.................................... IF................. 6-6/215.............L/R...............SR-3L................................................. Centreville, Va. (Westfield) 34......Jon Andy Scott...........................LHP.............. 6-4/215............. L/L................SR-1L...................... Booneville, Miss. (Northeast Mississippi) 35......Austin Sullivan........................... C/OF.............6-0/185.............R/R............... SO-1L..........................Mary Esther, Fla. (Fort Walton Beach) 36......Austin Hartzog............................RHP............. 6-4/206............R/R...........RS FR-RS..............................Jackson, Miss. (Hillcrest Christian) 37......Blair Wright...................................RHP...............6-1/210.............R/R................JR-1L........... Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis University School) 38......Brett Huber...................................RHP.............. 6-3/210.............R/R............... JR-2L..........................................Belleville, Ill. (Althoff Catholic) 39......Casey Greene...............................RHP..............6-2/190............R/R...........RS FR-RS......................... Olive Branch, Miss. (Desoto Central) 40......Scott Weathersby......................RHP.............. 6-2/175.............R/R...........RS FR-RS.....................................Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove) 42......Chief Brown...................................OF................6-2/190............R/R...............FR-HS....................................................... Winona, Miss. (Winona) 43......Kody Sepulveda.............................C................. 5-9/175.............R/R...............JR-JC...........................................Temecula, Calif. (Palomar CC) 44......Aaron Greenwood.....................RHP............. 6-4/200............R/R...............SO-JC................................ Byhalia, Miss. (Bossier Parriish CC) 45......Jimel Judon................................OF/IF.............6-5/270............R/R...........RS FR-RS................Myrtle, Miss. (Myrtle Attendance Center) 46......John Gatlin.................................IF/RHP...........6-4/210............R/R...............JR-JC............................................. Tupelo, Miss. (Itawamba CC)

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall........................................................... 30-25 Conference.................................................... 13-17 Non-Conference...........................................17-8 Home Games...............................................22-10 Away Games.................................................. 8-13 Neutral Sites....................................................0-2 Day Games..................................................... 14-11 Night Games.................................................16-14 vs. Left Starters.......................................... 10-10 vs. Right Starters.......................................20-15 1 - Run Games.................................................8-4 2 - Run Games................................................4-8 5+ Run Games............................................... 11-9 Extra Innings.................................................... 2-2 Shutouts............................................................. 6-1 Scoring 0-2 Runs......................................... 1-10 Scoring 3-5 Runs.........................................11-10 Scoring 6-9 Runs...........................................8-5 Scoring 10+ Runs.........................................10-0 When leading after 6................................ 24-2 When trailing after 6..................................3-21 When tied after 6..........................................3-2 When leading after 7..................................26-1 When trailing after 7...................................3-21 When tied after 7..........................................3-2 When leading after 8................................26-0 When trailing after 8....................................1-21 When tied after 8........................................... 3-1 Hit 0 homeruns.......................................... 10-10 Hit 1 homerun................................................ 14-11 Hit 2+ homeruns............................................6-4 Opponents 0 homeruns......................... 22-11 Opponents 1 homerun................................ 7-11 Opponents 2+ homeruns........................... 1-3 Made 0 errors................................................ 13-8 Made 1 error.....................................................9-5 Made 2+ errors..............................................8-12 Opponent 0 errors.......................................9-9 Opponent 1 error......................................... 9-10 Opponent 2+ errors................................... 12-6 Out-hit Opponent......................................20-5 Out-hit by Opponent.................................7-19 Hits are tied....................................................... 3-1 Scored in 1st inning.................................... 15-6 Opponent scored in 1st..............................5-11 Scores first..................................................... 23-6 Opponent scores first................................7-19

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Ole Miss Opponents

1 53 28

2 22 29

3 35 28

4 46 34

5 35 28

6 28 36

7 40 33

8 32 30

9 9 11

EX 4 5

Total 304 262

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 35

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY LANNY MIXON,

biggoldnation.com

SOUTHERN MISS

GOLDEN EAGLES

ver the past decade the Golden Eagle baseball program has established itself as the flagship program at Southern Miss. The baseball Eagles have won multiple C-USA Championships, made nine consecutive appearances in the NCAA Regionals and made the program’s first appearance in the College World Series. Southern Miss will also unveil a newly expanded Pete Taylor Park this spring with expanded grandstands, more chair-back seating and new larger student sections that will make one of the South’s best venues for college baseball even better. This past year the Eagles finished 39-19 and earned a birth in the NCAA Atlanta Regional and a share of the C-USA Regular Season Baseball Championship. Despite the solid season and C-USA Championship, the ending of the season was bitter sweet. Heading into the final two weeks of the regular season the Eagles had a commanding league in the league race and were playing the best baseball in the conference. In the final two C-USA series the Eagles went 2-6, and stumbled needing a win over Rice in the final game of the season to share the league championship. The team was plagued by eligibility issues with two of their top pitchers and offense hit a lull at the worst time. In reality the squad just peaked about a month too early. We didn’t hit well down the stretch,” he said. “Right before the Houston series we stopped swinging the bats. From that point on we really struggled. I was hopping we could over come it and some guys would step up and fill the void, but it didn’t happen.” With the 2011 season in the books, the Eagles will be looking to rebuild in some positions and reload in others as the 2012 season quickly approaches. Gone is pretty much the entire weekend rotation – Todd McInnis, Geoffery Thomas and Jonathan Thompson, as well as closer Colin Cargill.

36 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Southern Miss Sports Information

HEAD COACH - SCOTT BERRY The Eagles will also be without 2011 Boo Ferriss Trophy winner Tyler Koelling, Marc Bourgeois, Adam Doleac and Marc Ellis who graduated this past year. Junior infielder B.A. Vollmuth opted for the major league baseball draft.

Even with the losses the cupboard is far from bare for the Eagles. Kameron Brunty and Ashley Graeter are the lone senior starters returning in the field for the Eagles. Chase Horn, Josh Thomason and Matt Warren will provide senior leadership in the Eagle bull-

the schedule Feb. 17...........................................Nicholls State Feb. 18...........................................Nicholls State Feb. 19...........................................Nicholls State Feb. 22........................... @ Louisiana-Monroe Feb. 24..............................................................Troy Feb. 25..............................................................Troy Feb. 26..............................................................Troy Feb. 28.................................. Miss. Valley State Feb. 29....................................................Alabama Mar. 2.............................. Chaleston Southern* Mar. 3.........................................................Purdue* Mar. 4........................................................ Auburn* Mar. 6......................................... South Alabama Mar. 9................................ Louisiana-Lafayette Mar. 10.............................. Louisiana-Lafayette Mar. 11................................ Louisiana-Lafayette Mar. 13............................................... @ Alabama Mar. 16.............................................Murray State Mar. 17..............................................Murray State Mar. 18.............................................Murray State Mar. 20................................................@ Ole Miss Mar. 23.....................................................Houston Mar. 24.....................................................Houston Mar. 25.....................................................Houston Mar. 27..................................Louisiana-Monroe Mar. 30........................................................ @ Rice Mar. 31......................................................... @ Rice Apr. 1............................................................ @ Rice Apr. 3..................................................... Ole Miss# Apr. 5............................................... Alcorn State Apr. 6............................................... Alcorn State Apr. 7............................................... Alcorn State Apr. 11..............................................................LSU% Apr. 13........................................ Central Florida Apr. 14........................................ Central Florida Apr. 15........................................ Central Florida Apr. 17.................................. @ South Alabama Apr. 20....................................................Memphis Apr. 21......................................................Memphis Apr. 22....................................................Memphis Apr. 24................................ Mississippi State** Apr. 27................................................@ Marshall Apr. 28................................................@ Marshall Apr. 29................................................@ Marshall May 2....................................... Grambling State May 4.......................................................@ Tulane May 5.......................................................@ Tulane May 6.......................................................@ Tulane May 11..............................................East Carolina May 12............................................East Carolina May 13............................................East Carolina May 17.........................................................@ UAB May 18.........................................................@ UAB May 19.........................................................@ UAB May 23-27................................................... CUSA Tournament - Trustmark Park, Pearl * at Auburn, AL; # Trustmark Park; ** Trustmark Park; % Zephyr Stadium, New Orleans

Photo courtesy Southern Miss Sports Information

INFIELDER - ASHLEY GRAETAR pen. The squad will also be counting a group of younger players to fill the gaps but, what will be the most interesting aspect is how fast will the incoming signing class contribute. Baseball America ranked the group as the nation’s No. 3 signing class. “I think we have a good group this year,” Berry said. “But, it’s a young group and it’s an untested group. It’s going to take some time for them to adjust. It’s a lot different playing fall scrimmages in front of 50 people and opening day when we’ll have 3,500 to 4,000 in the stands.” OUTFIELD Senior Kameron Brunty will be forth year starter for the Eagles prowling the outfield for the Eagles. During his career he’s seen time at all three outfield positions and will hold down left for the Eagles this year. “We hope he’ll fill the three-hole for us this year,” Berry said of Brunty. “He’s one of the only guys left that has any College World Series experience. We need a big year from him,

but we can’t just jump on his shoulders. We have to have some other guys step up.” Berry is also counting on Dillon Day to contribute more as a junior. “He had a pretty good fall,” Berry said of Day. “He plays center better than anyone we have. He’s got to evolve into being a hitter and make those adjustments. As you get older you’re supposed to get smarter and become a better player. He’s a junior it’s time for that.” During the fall there was a nice battle going on for the starting nod in right field. “Joe Martin swung it really well against lefties and Mason Robbins swung it really well against righties,” Berry said. “Mason is our swing man in center. But, he could also help us on the mound this year.” INFIELD With the departure of Doleac, Ellis and Vollmuth the 2012 edition of the Southern Miss infield much like the outfield will feature a mix of experience and newcomers. Ashley Graeter returns on the left side of the infield. A JUCO transfer from Pearl River MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 37

(Poplarville, Miss.) in 2011, Graeter saw spot play throughout the first half of his junior season. But, when Vollmuth went down with an injury mid-season. He made the most of his opportunity locking down the short-stop position for the remainder of the year. When Vollmuth returned, he played mostly third base and designated hitter. “He played half a season at short,” Berry said of Graeter. “So, he basically has half a year of experience on the Division I level at short. But, he’s going to have to be able to swing between short and third.” True freshman Connor Barron from Sumrall (Miss.), is being counted on to be a contributor right out of the game. Barron who turned down more than $1M after being drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 3rd round of the MLB draft last spring is one of the mostly highly regarded prospects to enroll at Southern Miss. “Barron is going have to play a part this year,” he said. “We’re going to have to get his bat in the game. He’s better at short than he is at third. But, we’re not sure he’s ready to be an everyday short-stop on this level.” Junior Issac Rodriguez had a break-out year for the Eagles in 2011 with 14 doubles and 34 RBI’s. Red-shirt freshman Michael Sterling (Meridian, Miss.) will add quality depth in the middle, primarily backing up Rodriguez at second. The Eagles will be in good shape behind the dish with Jared Bales and Chase Fowler returning after splitting time a year ago. Bales could also see some time at 1B when he’s not catching. Those four players will provide a solid anchor for the Eagles on the infield but they will need to replace a fifth year senior 1B in Adam Doleac and a major contributor in Mark Ellis. JUCO transfer Blake Brown from Pensacola (Fla.) State College is a versatile corner infield who could see time at both first and third. “Right now Blake has that (first base), but he can play third as well,” Berry said. “I think he’s got a chance to hit. He’s an athletic player he can do the same things Mark Ellis did in the field, but I think he’ll hit better.” Despite having multiple players that can field the position, third base is causing the most questions for Berry as the season quickly approaches. “Third base is the real question mark,” Berry said. “Connor plays short better than he does third. We’ve got several guys who can play the position.” True freshman Bradley Roney (Wetumpka, Ala.) could also factor in at third along with Barron, Brown and Graeter. Travis Creel, a red-shirt junior from Ocean Springs (Miss.) is an excellent defender who can play any infield position will provide a viable option as well. 38 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Southern Miss Sports Information

CATCHER - JARED BALES PITCHING Scott Berry new a day was coming that he would have to walk to the dugout on a cool spring Friday night and write a name on the line-up that wasn’t Todd McInnis. Well, that night is coming. “Todd was that guy that we could hand the ball to and know we had a chance to win,” Berry said. “We knew if Todd was on the hill that we could win, he knew it and the team knew it.” Not only will the Eagles be without the winningest pitcher of in program history, they’re replacing the entire weekend rotation. “Without a weekend starter back and without our closer coming back we’ll have as good of a challenge as we’ve had since 2002,” Berry said. Berry, an avid outdoorsman used a hunting analogy to describe his young pitching staff.

“You know when you go to a gun shop and buy a new rifle and they put a scope on it,” he said “They kind of bore-sight it. Then you take it out to the range and you just kind of hope you’re on the paper. That’s where we are a lot of times with our pitchers.” During the fall Berry and his pitching coach Michael Federico had a chance to sort some things out. “Well, I feel confident on two of our weekend slots,” Berry said. “I think Chase Horn is going to earn one of those spots. Jake Drehoff a big red-shirt freshman from Georgia pitched well in the fall. They really separated themselves from everyone else.” It’s yet to be seen who will garner the Friday night spot between the two. While Berry isn’t ready to give a nod to anyone else for the third weekend spot he has several pitchers with potential. “There are a couple of other guys compet-

ing,” Berry said. “Andrew Pierce has good stuff. We recruited him to be a weekend guy.” Senior Josh Thomason saw most of his innings last year out of the bull pen, but logged some quality starts late in the season after attrition hit the staff. Sophomore Boomer Scarborough saw time as a mid-week starter last year for the Eagles. “I would love for Boomer to win a starting spot,” Berry said. “I tell him that everyday. He tries so hard, I think he tries too hard sometimes.” Scarborough started the season strong a year ago and tailed off as fatigue set in on the true freshman. “He had a lot of innings on his arm when we got him,” Berry said. “We rested him the entire fall before his freshman year. We’re hoping he comes back strong.” Sophomore Jay Myrick is looking to bounce back after a series of injuries set him back last season. True freshman Luke Lowery (Sumrall, Miss.), the MaxPreps.com Player of the Year in Mississippi last year could also

factor in for a starting spot this year. While the starting pitching could experience some growing pains the bullpen is expected to be solid. Paxton King and Matt Warren have both logged significant innings for the Eagles during their careers, but it could be the newcomers that make a difference for the Eagles including JUCO transfer Cameron Giannini. Other first year players that could contribute include a number of freshman – Cody Carroll (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.), Brock Hunt (Madison Central), Nick Johnson (Ridgeland), Cody Livingston (NW Rankin), and Josh Rogers (Hillcrest Christian). Robbins and Roney will also be expected to contribute on the mound. The closer position is also up for grabs but red-shirt freshman James McMahan seems to be locking that position down after the fall. “It’s up for grabs,” Berry said. “But, I really like James McMahan there. I think he’s got real good stuff for that spot.” - MSM

the ROSTER NO...NAME.........................................POS................B/T...........HT/WT............... YR...............................HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1.........Chase Fowler............................C...................B/R........... 6-1/183................JR......................... Cumming, Ga (South Forysth HS) 2........Ashley Graeter........................INF.................R/R...........6-1/190................SR............................Poplarville, Miss (Pearl River CC) 3........Bradley Roney..................... INF/P...............R/R...........6-1/190................FR.......................... Wetumpka, Ala. (Wetumpka HS) 4........Bret Kline...................................INF.................R/R.......... 5-11/180...............FR...................................... Slidell, La. (Northshore HS) 5........Andrew Furr............................ OF................. L/L.......... 6-2/201...........RS FR.........................Ackerman, Miss. (Ackerman HS) 6........James McMahon.............. INF/RHP...........R/R......... 6-0/200..........RS FR.....................Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS) 7........Connor Barron........................INF................. L/R...........6-3/175................FR.............................. Hattiesburg, Miss. (Sumrall HS) 8........Jay Myrick................................RHP................R/R.......... 5-9/160...........RS SO.................Spanish Fort, Ala (Spanish Fort HS) 11........Luke Lowery.......................LHP/OF............ S/L..........6-0/205...............FR....................................... Sumrall, Miss. (Sumrall HS) 12......Andrew Pierce.......................RHP................R/R.......... 6-4/160...............JR........................................... Stringer, Miss. (Jones JC) 14......Dillon Day.................................LHP................ L/L..........6-0/160...............JR................................... Geismar, La. (Dutchtown HS) 15......Michael Sterling......................INF.................R/R.......... 5-11/165...........RS FR................................Meridian, Miss. (Meridian HS) 16......Isaac Rodriguez.....................INF.................R/R..........5-10/189...............JR................................ Weston, Fla. (Cypress Bay HS) 17......Travis Creel...............................INF.................R/R.......... 6-2/190........... RS JR......Ocean Springs, Miss. (Ocean Springs HS) 18......Austin Roussel..........................C................... L/R...........6-1/196............RS FR..........................................Hester, La. (Lutcher HS) 19......Joe Martin................................. OF.................R/R.......... 5-9/189.............. SO........................................ Zachary, La. (Zachary HS) 20.....Boomer Scarborough... RHP/INF...........R/R...........6-2/251............... SO............. Pass Christian, Miss. (St. Stanislaus HS) 21......Kameron Brunty.................... OF.................R/R.......... 6-2/180...............SR.......................... Gulf Breeze, Fla (Gulf Breeze HS) 22.....Blake Brown.............................INF.................R/R...........6-5/215................JR...................................Semmes, Ala. (Pensacola JC) 23.....Josh Rogers............................LHP................ R/L......... 5-10/160............. SO................ Jackson, Miss. (Hillcrest Christian HS) 24.....Paxton King............................LHP................ R/L..........6-2/200........... RS JR.................. Brookhaven, Miss (Brookhaven HS) 25.....Mason Robbins.....................OF/P............... L/L.......... 6-2/196...............FR................Leakesville, Miss. (George County HS) 26.....Matt Warren............................RHP................R/R..........6-5/209........... RS SR...............................................Petal, Miss. (Petal HS) 27.....Brock Hunt.............................P/OF...............R/R.......... 6-2/180...............FR...................Madison, Miss. (Madison Central HS) 28.....Cody Livingston....................LHP................ L/L.......... 6-3/188...............FR...............Brandon, Miss. (Northwest Rankin HS) 29.....Jake Drehoff...........................LHP................ L/L.......... 6-4/185...........RS FR.................. Alpharetta, Ga. (South Forsyth HS) 30.....Taylor Nunez...........................RHP................R/R.......... 6-4/192...............FR...............................................Slidell, La. (Salmen HS) 32.....Jared Bales.................................C...................R/R.......... 6-3/225...........RS SO.............................. Picayune, Miss (Picayune HS) 33.....Josh Thomason.....................RHP................R/R..........6-4/220...............SR.............................. Oxford, Miss. (Navarro College) 35.....Cameron Giannini................RHP................R/R..........6-3/234...........RS SO...............................Danville, Va. (San Jacinto JC) 36.....Nick Johnson..........................RHP................R/R.......... 6-2/196...............FR............................Ridgeland, Miss. (Ridgeland HS) 37.....Cody Carroll............................RHP................R/R..........6-5/200...............FR............................... Mt. Juliet, Tenn. (Mt. Juliet HS) 38.....Chase Horn.............................RHP................R/R...........6-1/194................SR......... Alexander City, Ala. (Southern Union CC) 39.....Ryan Ellis................................ IF/OF............... L/L.......... 6-1/206...............FR...............................Columbia, Miss. (Columbia HS) 43.....Morgan Capen..........................C...................R/R..........5-9/202...............FR........... Tampa, Fla. (Bayshore Christian School)

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall.............................................................39-19 Conference..................................................... 16-8 Non-Conference......................................... 23-11 Home Games................................................ 23-5 Away Games.................................................. 12-9 Neutral Sites....................................................4-5 Day Games..................................................... 21-8 Night Games.................................................. 18-11 vs. Left Starters............................................ 12-6 vs. Right Starters....................................... 27-13 1 - Run Games................................................. 7-7 2 - Run Games.................................................4-1 5+ Run Games.............................................. 18-5 Extra Innings....................................................3-2 Shutouts............................................................5-3 Scoring 0-2 Runs........................................... 1-7 Scoring 3-5 Runs........................................... 7-7 Scoring 6-9 Runs......................................... 18-4 Scoring 10+ Runs...........................................13-1 When leading after 6..................................32-1 When trailing after 6................................. 5-18 When tied after 6..........................................2-0 When leading after 7..................................32-1 When trailing after 7...................................3-17 When tied after 7......................................... 3-0 When leading after 8................................ 32-2 When trailing after 8....................................1-15 When tied after 8........................................... 5-1 Hit 0 homeruns...........................................16-13 Hit 1 homerun................................................ 15-3 Hit 2+ homeruns............................................8-3 Opponents 0 homeruns........................ 25-12 Opponents 1 homerun................................12-1 Opponents 2+ homeruns..........................2-6 Made 0 errors.................................................12-2 Made 1 error....................................................13-7 Made 2+ errors........................................... 14-10 Opponent 0 errors......................................12-2 Opponent 1 error.......................................... 11-4 Opponent 2+ errors................................. 14-10 Out-hit Opponent....................................... 31-4 Out-hit by Opponent................................ 8-14 Hits are tied.......................................................0-1 Scored in 1st inning.................................... 14-2 Opponent scored in 1st............................10-8 Scores first..................................................... 28-2 Opponent scores first............................... 11-17

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Southern Miss Opponents

1 43 34

2 40 35

3 35 36

4 44 29

5 61 34

6 44 31

7 47 26

8 53 24

9 23 14

EX 6 4

Total 396 267

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 39

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY WESLEY PETERSON,

Jackson State Sports Information

JACKSON STATE

TIGERS

he Jackson State Tigers baseball team has experienced tremendous success under sixth year head coach Omar Johnson. I five seasons at the helm of the Tiger program, Johnson has recorded a .608 winning percentage (which is the highest winning percentage in school history for anyone that has coached over two seasons). His 169 victories ranks second in program history, behind Robert “Bob” Braddy’s 811 wins during his 28 year career as JSU’s baseball coach. Johnson’s program has produced All-American and All-Conference standouts, set school records for single-season wins and finished as the top team in the SWAC at the conclusion of the regular season. The only thing that is missing from Johnson’s stellar JSU resume is a Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship. “Our outlook is basically the same every season,” Johnson said. “Our goals are to (1) win our division, (2) win the conference tournament and (3) win in the regional. We are not changing our philosophy. We are going to be aggressive on the bases, situational hit, pitch and play defense. Hopefully we will continue to do that this season and if we hit the ball well, I am confident that we will have the success that we are expecting.” Last season the Tigers finished with a 27-26 overall record and a 14-11 conference mark. JSU went into the conference tournament as a No. 2 seed. The Tigers opened the 2011 SWAC Tournament with a 6-3 win over Prairie View A&M, but 13-6 to Southern. JSU bounced back to beat Prairie View A&M 6-2, eliminating the Panthers from the tournament and JSU advanced to the semifinals. However, the Tigers faced Southern for the second time in the tournament and fell 14-9 to the Jaguars. Individually, Desmond Russell (So., UT, Freeport, Bahamas), Charles Epperson (Jr., OF/P, Huntsville, AL) and Jose Cruz (So., C, Kissimmee, FL) all received All-SWAC honors. Russell was named SWAC Freshman of the Year and received a second team AllSWAC nod. He was also named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. Epperson 40 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Jackson State Sports Information

THIRD BASEMAN - FRANK SOLIS was a first team All-SWAC member and Cruz was a second team member. “These players got a significant amount of playing time last season,” said Johnson. “I am expecting them all to perform better than they did last season. “

THE TEAM Jackson State will have a seasoned team. The Tigers will have 10 players who competed in at least 30 games last season and another six returners with game experience. JSU’s key contributors from last season include:

the schedule Feb. 17..............................................Florida A&M Feb. 18......................................... Eastern Illinois Feb. 18..............................................Florida A&M Feb. 19......................................... Eastern Illinois Feb. 21................................. @ South Alabama Feb. 24...................................... @ Morehead St Feb. 25..................................... @ Morehead St. Feb. 26..................................... @ Morehead St. Feb. 27...................................... Kentucky State Mar. 3......................................@ Miss. Valley St. Mar. 4......................................@ Miss. Valley St. Mar. 6...................@ Southeastern Louisiana Mar. 9.......................................... Alabama State Mar. 10........................................ Alabama State Mar. 14.................................................... Tougaloo Mar. 16............................................. Alcorn State Mar. 17.............................................. Alcorn State Mar. 21..................@ Southeastern Louisiana Mar. 23.......................................@ Florida A&M Mar. 24.......................................@ Florida A&M Mar. 27.................................................@ Ole Miss Mar. 31....................................@ Alabama A&M Apr. 1.......................................@ Alabama A&M Apr. 3........................................ @ Nichols State Apr. 6..................................... Miss. Valley State Apr. 7..................................... Miss. Valley State Apr. 11.................................................@ Tougaloo Apr. 14...................................@ Alabama State Apr. 15...................................@ Alabama State Apr. 21.........................................@ Alcorn State Apr. 22.......................................@ Alcorn State Apr. 24........................................................... Wiley Apr. 28........................................Southern Univ. Apr. 29.................................. @ Southern Univ. May 2......................................... South Alabama May 4........................................... Alabama A&M May 5........................................... Alabama A&M May 8..............................................Nichols Sttae May 11..................................@ Grambling State May 12..................................... Grambling State May 16-20....................... SWAC Tournament

Kendall Logan (Sr., OF, Natchez, MS), Frank Solis (Sr., 3B, Miami Lakes, FL), Quintavious Drains (Sr., P, Riverdale, GA), Jose Garcia (So., UT, Deltona, FL), Cruz, Russell, Epperson and Stephen Curtis (So., IF, Nassau, Bahamas). Logan had a .366 batting average, with 67 hits, 63 runs, 44 RBI and a team-high 12 home runs. He also was 19-21 in stolen base attempts. Solis had a .302 batting average, with 55 hits, 41 runs and 21 RBI. Drains posted a team high seven wins as a starting pitcher. He had a 4.24 earned run average last season. In

Photo courtesy Jackson State Sports Information

PITCHER - QUINTAVIOUS DRAINS 99.2 innings pitched he struck out 95 batters while giving up 102 hits and 54 runs. Garcia finished the season with a 4.18 ERA. He struck out 36 batters, while giving up 29 hits in 32 innings of work. Cruz posted a .199 batting average last season, with 30 hits, 18 runs and 19 RBI. Russell hit .310 with 13 doubles, 4 triples, 5 homers, 49 RBI, 10 stolen bases. As a pitcher he had a 4-6 record, 4.52 ERA, 3 saves, 79 strikeouts, 32 walks in 81 2/3 innings. Epperson had a .299 batting average with 56 hits, 12 doubles, four home runs and 39 RBI. He was also 14-15 in stolen base attempts. Curtis hit .289, with 43 hits, five doubles and three home runs. He was 10-11 in stolen base attempts. PITCHING & CATCHING Drains returns as the projected ace of the Tigers pitching staff. His 7-3 record led the team in wins. His 95 strikeouts also led the team. Over the last two seasons he has a 20-7 record and 183 strikeouts to go along with 11 complete games. Drains may also have the

opportunity to break JSU’s all time pitching wins record this season. Russell is expected to record even better numbers as a sophomore. He was tied for third on the team in wins (4) behind Drains and Terrance Washington (5). Russell will also play a field position. Kiarious Hall (Sr., P, Moss Point, MS) is expected to make significant contributions for the Tigers as a member of the rotation. Last season he was the only member of the staff who did not suffer a loss, with his 3-0 record. In 10 appearances he pitched 21 innings and allowed 21 hits. The other returners to the pitching staff include Raymond Rodriguez, Jose Garcia and Andre Rodriguez. The returning catchers include Cruz, who coach Johnson believes will swing the bat better this season, and Gary Mele (So., C, Atlanta, GA). INFIELD & OUTFIELD The Tigers have experience and talent in the infield and outfield. JSU’s infield will be MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 41

anchored by third baseman Frank Solis. Solis is a three year starter for JSU. He is the only player on the team who has played every year he has been here. “We are expecting him to be one of our big leaders, but at the same time play defense like he has played the past three years,” Johnson said. “He has only committed 10 errors in the three he has played, which is outstanding.” JSU will return all three starting outfielders in Kendall Logan, Charles Epperson, and Gabriel Babineaux. NEWCOMERS Jackson State will not have many freshmen this season, but the following players will have an opportunity to get some playing time: Luis Torres (Fr., Ceiba, Puerto Rico), Gary Thompson (Fr., Meridian, MS) and Aric Thompson (Fr., Memphis, TN). Gary

Thomas and Aric Thompson are expected to compete for shortstop position this season. Schedule The Jackson State Tigers will play a competitive schedule again this season. In nonconference play JSU will face Florida A&M, Eastern Illinois, South Alabama, Morehead State, Kentucky State, SE Louisiana, Tougaloo College, Ole Miss and Nicholls State. JSU will open the season on Feb. 17 when the Tigers host Florida A&M at Robert “Bob” Braddy Field on the JSU campus. The Tigers will play their first conference game on Mar. 3 when JSU hosts Mississippi Valley State. The final home game is set for May 12 against Grambling State. JSU will make its first road trip on Feb. 21, when the Tigers travel to Mobile, AL to take on South Alabama and the last road game of the season will be on May 11 at Grambling State. - MSM

the ROSTER No. ....Name.............................. HT........... WT............. POS................CL.................................Hometown 2............Stephen Curtis.................5-9............ 175................. INF...................SO............................. Nassau, Bahamas 4............Desmond Russell............5-8............ 170..................UT....................SO..........................Freeport, Bahamas 6............Gabriel Babineaux......... 6-1............. 175................ LHP................... JR.........................................Missouri, TX 7............Charles Epperson..........6-2............190..................OF..................R-JR..............................Minneapolis, MN 8............Jeremy Gray.....................5-9............ 180................ RHP................... JR...............................New Orleans, LA 9............Frank Solis.........................6-0............ 170..................3B.................... SR.................................Miami Lakes, FL 12..........Aneko Knowles...............6-2............ 175...........UTL/RHP.............SO..........................Freeport, Bahamas 13..........Glenn Walker....................6-0............160................. INF................... SR................................Long Beach, CA 16..........Jose Cruz...........................6-0............225................... C......................SO....................................Kissimmee, FL 18..........Marshun Hall.....................6-2............ 195................ RHP................... SR.................................. Moss Point, MS 20.........Kendall Logan..................6-2........... 200.................OF.................... SR........................................ Natchez, MS 21..........Jose Garcia......................5-10........... 175..................UT....................SO.......................................... Deltona, FL 27.........Andre Rodriguez............6-2............ 215................ LHP...................SO........................................ Toa Baja, PR 29.........Raymond Rodriguez....6-0............ 185................ RHP...................SO.......................................... Dorado, PR 30.........Malcolm Tate....................5-9............268..................1B..................... JR......................................Carthage, MS 32.........Gary Mele...........................6-0........... 200.................. C......................SO............................................Liburn, GA 33.........Quintavious Drains........6-2............ 195................ RHP................... SR..........................................Atlanta, GA 35.........Chris Wingard.................. 6-1............. 173................ LHP...................SO................................. San Ramon, CA *Returning Players

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall............................................................27-26 Conference..................................................... 14-11 Non-Conference......................................... 13-15 Home Games................................................. 14-9 Away Games.................................................10-12 Neutral Sites....................................................3-5 Day Games.................................................. 27-22 Night Games................................................... 0-4 vs. Left Starters.............................................. 2-3 vs. Right Starters......................................25-23 1 - Run Games.................................................4-9 2 - Run Games................................................ 2-5 5+ Run Games...............................................16-7 Extra Innings..................................................... 1-5 Shutouts............................................................3-2 Scoring 0-2 Runs......................................... 1-10 Scoring 3-5 Runs..........................................3-12 Scoring 6-9 Runs..........................................12-3 Scoring 10+ Runs............................................11-1 When leading after 6................................ 25-8 When trailing after 6..................................2-16 When tied after 6..........................................0-2 When leading after 7................................. 16-8 When trailing after 7....................................1-13 When tied after 7...........................................0-1 When leading after 8................................. 16-3 When trailing after 8.................................. 0-16 When tied after 8........................................... 1-3 Hit 0 homeruns......................................... 16-20 Hit 1 homerun..................................................6-4 Hit 2+ homeruns............................................ 5-2 Opponents 0 homeruns......................... 19-17 Opponents 1 homerun................................8-8 Opponents 2+ homeruns...........................0-1 Made 0 errors..................................................7-4 Made 1 error...................................................10-8 Made 2+ errors........................................... 10-14 Opponent 0 errors.......................................7-6 Opponent 1 error...........................................4-11 Opponent 2+ errors................................... 16-9 Out-hit Opponent....................................... 21-6 Out-hit by Opponent...............................6-20 Hits are tied..................................................... 0-0 Scored in 1st inning.................................... 14-8 Opponent scored in 1st.............................. 7-11 Scores first.....................................................17-10 Opponent scores first..............................10-16

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Jackson State Opponents

1 45 30

42 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

2 54 20

3 50 46

4 44 22

5 45 25

6 33 22

7 35 23

8 22 41

9 23 21

EX 3 8

Total 353 258

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY MATT JONES,

Delta State Sports Information

DELTA STATE

STATESMEN

hange will be the official mantra of the new look Gulf South Conference this season and the No. 32 ranked Delta State University Statesmen baseball team is ready to make a run at the league title. Coming off a 30-19 finish in 2011 and a third place finish in the GSC West Division, the Statesmen will return to facing familiar league opponents while the eight-team GSC welcomes the University of New Orleans, Shorter University and Union University to the fold in the near future. “We’re excited about the changes that have come to the GSC and the competition level is only going to improve as we move forward as a league,” DSU head coach Mike Kinnison stated. “When the Arkansas schools pulled out of the league we were a little concerned about the direction of the league, but the last eight months have brought stability and a new energy to one of the nation’s most competitive conferences.” This year, the Statesmen return the bulk of their pitching staff, while an influx of talented recruits have the green-and-white poised to compete for the GSC, South Region and NCAA titles in 2012. “While we don’t have huge numbers returning, we do have the right spots coming back this season,” Kinnison added. “Our pitching staff returns four starters and two key relievers, and we have two key bats back in a lineup that I believe will be able to put up some runs.” PITCHING After compiling a 4.45 ERA last season, the returning pitchers for the Statesmen have made this officially the “Year of the Close Game.” Last season, the Statesmen posted a 3-15 record in games decided by two runs or less. Led by All-American candidates Josh Branstetter (RHP, Jr.) and Aaron Newcomb (RHP, Sr.), Delta State returns six lettermen with a combined 23-13 record and 3.95 ERA. Branstetter, a 2011 All-GSC First Team selection and 2012 All-GSC Preseason pick, posted a 7-2 mark on the mound with a 2.59

Photo courtesy The Bolivar Commercial

HEAD COACH - MIKE KINNISON ERA. In 11 appearances and 10 starts, the Pensacola, Fla., native pitched 76.1 innings allowing just 22 earned runs, 33 total, on 68 hits with a mere 11 walks and 49 strikeouts. Newcomb, a 2011 All-GSC Second Team pick, suffered from diminished run support last season en route to a 7-7 record and 4.43 ERA. The Centralia, Ill., native tossed a teambest 85.1 innings while giving up 46 runs on 92 hits with 19 walks and 77 strikeouts. Senior right-hander Brandon Hardin also returns to bolster the staff after going 5-2 with a 5.77 ERA. After beginning the season as a starter, the Pickneyville, Ill., native made the move to the bullpen. Hardin finished the season throwing 68.2 innings with 62 strikeouts.

Jordan Moore, a midweek starter last year and a potential arm for the weekend rotation this season, started five games for the Statesmen in 2011 after breaking his hand in the offseason. Moore went 1-2 with an 8.27 ERA, but showed signs of improvement as the year continued. Relievers Rickey Winters (RHP, Soph.) and Garrett Pickens (RHP, Sr.) also return to form a nucleus for the bullpen. Winters recorded a 1-1 mark last year with a 2.61 ERA in five appearances, while Pickens was 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA in 11 trips out of the pen. Redshirt freshman Dave Triplett (RHP, Germantown, Tenn.) is also expected to be a factor. Several newcomers will also factor heavily MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 43

the schedule Feb. 10......................... @ Univ. of Montevallo Feb. 11........................... @ Univ. of Montevallo Feb. 12.......................... @ Univ. of Montevallo Feb. 15....................... @ Arkansas-Monticello Feb. 18........................... Lynn University (DH) Feb. 19....................................... Lynn University Feb 21.................................... Miss. Valley State Feb. 24................................. Florida Soutehrn* Feb. 25...........................University of Tampa* Feb. 26.....................................Barry University Mar. 3................ @ Alabama-Huntiville (DH) Mar. 4............................@ Alabama-Huntsvile Mar. 6......................................@ Arkansas Tech Mar. 7......................................@ Arkansas Tech Mar. 10....................................Abilene Christian Mar. 11......................................Abilene Christian Mar. 13...................................Lake Erie College Mar. 14.....................................lake Erie College Mar. 17.............................. West Alabama (DH) Mar. 18.........................................West Alabama Mar. 20................................... Ouachita Baptist Mar. 21..................................... Ouachita Baptist Mar. 24............................Vladosta State (DH) Mar. 25........................................Valdosta State Mar. 28.........................@ Southern Arkansas Mar. 31....................................... @ West Florida Apr. 1...............................@ West Florida (DH) Apr. 4...............................Arkansas-Monticello Apr. 6....................................@ North Alabama Apr. 7........................@ North Alabama (DH) Apr. 10..............................@ Miss. Valley State Apr. 14................Univ. of New Orleans (DH) Apr. 15........................... Univ. of New Orleans Apr. 18................................Southern Arkansas Apr. 21................. @ Christian Brothers (DH) Apr. 22...........................@ Christian Brothers Apr. 24..............................@ Henderson State Apr. 25..............................@ Henderson State Apr. 28.............................. West Georgia (DH) Apr. 29..........................................West Georgia May 5-9.................................GSC Tournament 44 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

in the rotation this year. Junior college transfers Colton Mitchell (LHP, Jr., Lake, Miss.) and Cullen Babin (RHP, Jr., Houma, La.) both factored heavily in the juco programs’ success last season and were named Newcomers to Watch by the GSC in its’ preseason release. University of Missouri transfer James Hudelson (Columbia, Mo.) will also be counted on by Kinnison and his staff. Mitchell went 7-3 last year en route to AllState accolades at East Central CC. Babin was 3-4 on the hill with 37 strikeouts and a mere 11 walks in 48 innings pitched at Hinds CC. Additional junior college transfers Jake Linkous (RHP, Jr., Cleveland, Miss.), Tyler Dalton (RHP, Jr., Louisville, Miss.), Bobby Bryan (LHP, Jr.), and Jared Bond (RHP, Jr., Denham Springs, La.) also bring in valuable experience on the mound for coach Kinnison and his staff. Talented freshmen Rooks Patterson (RHP, Frisco City, Texas) and Drew Milligan (LHP, Olive Branch, Miss.) will also compete for innings. INFIELD Catcher has always been a position of success for the Statesmen with the likes of former All-American and San Francisco Giant Eli Whiteside manning the spot in he past. DSU will career five catchers on the roster this season led by senior Jon Carnahan. Carnahan, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound Port Neches, Texas native, returns to handle the starting spot after splitting time last year with Patrick Taylor. The powerful backstop batted .304 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games and 18 starts last season. Delgado (La.) Junior College transfer Chad Fortenbery (Pearl River, La.) and Northeast Miss. CC transfer Will Wallis (Ripley, Miss.) will compete for the backup role. Freshmen Josh Vanderburg (Oliver Branch, Miss./Marshall Academy) and Matt Barrett (Nashville, Tenn./Overton HS) will also be looking to make an impact for the green-andwhite this season. With the graduation of All-GSC and AllRegion first baseman Kellen Bozeman, the Statesmen will be looking for new man on the corner. After splitting time between the outfield and first base, junior Michael Vinson will try to handle the position this season. The Southaven, Miss., native has made an immediate impact in his first two seasons at DSU. As a freshman, Vinson batted .363 with 16 doubles and 48 RBIs. As a sophomore, the hard-hitting former Southaven High star finished second on the team with a .338 average, 54 hits, eight doubles and 31 RBIs. Sophomore and former Southaven star Brett Langston will also compete for time at the position. In 12 games as a true freshman, Langston hit .273 with a double and one RBI. El Paso (Texas) Community College and

NJCAA All-American Kris Koerper will look to put his name in the starting lineup as well. As a sophomore at EPCC, Koerper his .331 with 18 doubles, seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 51 games. He smashed 13 home runs and drove in 50 runs as a freshman. With the loss of both starters at shortstop and second base, coach Kinnison and his staff will be looking to find a set of steady hands to man both positions in 2012. Talented sophomore Justin Badon (Summit, Miss./North Pike HS), who started 21 games and played in 29 at second and short, will look to reclaim his spot after offseason surgery. Badon hit .317 last season with one home run, nine RBIs and 24 runs scored. Redshirt freshmen Marc McMillian (Mendenhall, Miss./Simpson Academy) and Jonathon Andrews (Germantown, Tenn./Evangelical Christian) will lead a bevy of newcomers all competing for a spot in the lineup. Junior college transfer Tyler Aldridge (Steens, Miss./ East Mississippi CC) had a big fall for the green-and-white and will see time at second and third. Freshman Austin McClain (Cordova, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) will split time between second base and the outfield as well. Brent Kakwitch, a transfer last season from Madison College, returns to anchor the hot corner for the Statesmen. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Green Bay, Wisc., native, batted .287 last year with two home runs and 19 RBIs. Kakwitch started 41 games and appeared in 42 at third. In 129 at-bats, he collected 37 hits, six doubles, one triple and scored 25 runs for DSU. Aldridge, McMillian and Badon are all expected to see time at third base. OUTFIELD The Statesmen outfield will be filled with newcomers in 2012, as leftfielder turned first baseman Michael Vinson is the lone returning starter from last season. With Vinson’s shift to first, the outfield is literally wide open this season. Sophomore speedster Jordan Chovanec (Inez, Texas/Industrial HS) has paid his dues and is poised to have a breakout season. After redshirting in 2010, Chovanec appeared in 30 games as a reserve, batting .200 with five runs scored and three stolen bases. He also played a flawless outfield defensively. Former Ridgeland High and All-State selection Hunter Twitty (Ridgeland, Miss.), who redshirted last season, will vie for the starting centerfield position. Hinds CC transfer Morris Grant (Terry, Miss.) will also look for time in center. GSC Newcomer to Watch Ben Kingsley (Mantachie, Miss.), who led the nation in home runs (19) as a sophomore at Meridian Community College, is expected to handle one of the corner outfield spots. Kingsley batted .366 in 50 games with 60 RBIs. He was

just as impressive as a freshman, batting .403 with nine home runs and 49 RBIs. University of Kentucky transfer Sam Kidd (Hartford, Ky.), Bossier Parish (La.) CC standout Cody Hester (Shreveport, La.), and freshmen Michael Martin (Jackson, Miss.) and McClain are also in the mix for time in a crowded, yet talented roster of outfielders.

College. Lake Erie College and Mississippi Valley State also appear on the slate. DSU also squares off with former GSC members Montevallo, Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Arkansas, Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist. The green-and-white will also begin a new rivalry with GSC newcomer University of New Orleans. The Privateers will play a threegame series at Ferriss Field on April 14-15. SCHEDULE With the departure of the Arkansas schools Changes to the league also mean changes from the GSC, the league returns to a single to the GSC Championship Tournament. The division format in 2012 and the Delta State four-day event will be held in Rome, Ga., at schedule may be one of the most difficult in the single-A affiliate of Atlanta, the Rome recent memory as a result. Defending NCAA Braves. Miracle Field will welcome eight DII National Champion West Florida head- teams to Rome, Ga., May 5-9 in the first tourlines a list of league opponents that all have nament played outside Millington, Tenn., since 2002. the ability to bring home the national title. The Statesmen will host West Alabama, “Our schedule will force us to be ready to Valdosta State, and West Georgia in league compete from the beginning,” added Kinniplay at Ferriss Field, while hitting the road son. “We have in-region opponents from the for West Florida, Alabama-Huntsville, North start of the season and our schedule just gets more competitive as the year rolls on. I’m exAlabama and Christian Brothers. The nonconference schedule also features cited about the possibilities this team brings national powers Abilene Christian, Lynn Uni- to the field and we’re ready to get to work.” The Statesmen will open the season with a versity, Florida Southern, Tampa and Barry three-game series at the University of Montevallo Feb. 10-12. DSU’s home opener comes Feb. 18 against Lynn University at Ferriss Field. - MSM NO... NAME.............................POS.............HT/WT............B/T.........YR......................................... HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL)

the ROSTER

1......... Austin McClain............... OF/2B.............5-9/185................Fr............R/R.....................................Cordova, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS 2........ Josh Vanderburg................C.................. 5-8/175................Fr............R/R................................... Olive Branch, Miss./Marshall Academy 3........ Jordan Chovanec............. OF.................5-9/161..............R-So......... L/L................................................................ Inez, Texas/Industrial HS 4........ Bobby Bryan.........................P.................5-10/160...............Jr............ L/L....................................................Crossett, Ark./East Central CC 5........ Josh Crowdus......................SS................ 5-10/175...............Jr............B/R..................................................... Houma, La./ Baton Rouge CC 6........ Jonathan Andrews...........INF............... 5-10/155.............. So............R/R.............Germantown, Tenn./Evangelical Christian School 7........ Will Wallis...............................C.................6-0/200...............Jr............R/R................................................... Ripley, Miss./NE Mississippi CC 8........ Morris Grant........................ OF................6-0/177................Jr............R/R........................................................................Terry, Miss./Hinds CC 9........ Marc McMillian...................INF................5-11/185................Rf............R/R..................................... Mendenhall, Miss./Simpson Academy 10...... Justin Badon.......................INF................ 5-11/175............... So............R/R....................................................... Summit, Miss./North Pike HS 11........ Rooks Patterson..................P..................6-3/235...............Fr............R/R.................................................. Frisco, Texas/Frisco Liberty HS 12...... Dave Triplett.........................P................. 5-10/173...............Rf............R/R............................................. Germantown, Tenn./Germantown 13...... Ricky Winters.......................P...................6-1/158..............R-So.........R/R...............................................................Bartlett, Tenn./Bolton HS 14...... Tyler Aldridge..................2B/3B............ 5-10/184...............Jr............R/R...............................................Steens, Miss./East Mississippi CC 15...... Michael Martin.................... OF................6-0/217................Fr............R/R..............................................Jackson, Miss./Jackson Academy 16...... Matt Barrett...........................C.................6-4/200...............Fr............R/R..............................................Nashville, Tenn./John Overton HS 17...... Sam Kidd.............................. OF................6-3/190................Jr............R/R....................................... Hartford, Ky./University of Kentucky 18...... Jake Linkous.........................P.................6-4/200...............Jr............R/R.........Cleveland, Miss. Cleveland HS/Mississippi Delta CC 19...... Colton Mitchell.....................P..................6-0/190...............Jr............ L/L.......................................................... Lake, Miss./East Central CC 20..... Tyler Dalton...........................P................. 5-10/195...............Jr............R/R.................... Louisville, Miss. Louisville HS/East Central CC 21...... Cody Hester........................ OF...............6-0/200...............Jr............ L/L................................. Shreveport, La./Bossier Parish (La.) CC 24..... Jordan Moore.......................P..................6-3/214............. R-Jr..........R/R............................................... Calhoun City, Miss./Calhoun City 25..... James Hudelson..................P..................6-4/210................Sr............R/R...................................... Columbia, Mo./University of Missouri 26..... Drew Milligan........................P..................6-6/190................Fr............ L/L............................................. Olive Branch, Miss./Center Hill HS 28..... Brent Kakwitch...............3B/SS............ 6-2/205...............Sr............R/R.............Green Bay, Wisc./West De Pere Madison College 29..... Ben Kingsley....................... OF................6-1/200................Jr............R/R....................... Mantachie, Miss./Mooreville HS Meridian CC 30..... Chad Fortenberry...............C.................5-10/235...............Jr............R/R.............................................. Pearl River, La./Delgado (La.) CC 31...... Cullen Babin..........................P..................5-11/185................Jr............R/R.......................................................................Houma, La./Hinds CC 32..... Trevor Blocker......................P..................6-0/195................Fr............R/R.................................Crystal Springs, Miss./Copiah Academy 34..... Josh Branstetter.................P..................5-11/186................Jr............R/R................................................... Pensacola, Fla./Pine Forest HS 35..... Brandon Hardin...................P..................6-1/200................Sr............R/R............. Pinckneyville, Ill./Pinckneyville Kaskaskia (Ill.) CC 36.......Jon Carnahan.............................. C......................6-3/225.................. Sr..............R/R.......Port Neches, Texas/Port Neches-Groves HS Marion Military 37..... Brent Langston...................1B................ 6-2/240.............. So............R/R................. Southhaven, Miss./Desoto Central High School 38..... Garrett Pickens....................P...................6-1/170................Sr............R/R.... Yazoo City, Miss./Manchester Academy/MS Delta CC 39..... Aaron Newcomb.................P..................6-3/195................Sr............R/R........................Centralia, Ill. Centalia/Olney Central College 40..... Hunter Twitty...................... OF................6-0/180...............Rf............R/R..................................................Ridgeland, Miss./ Ridgeland HS 41...... Michael Vinson....................1B................ 6-2/205...............Jr............L/R........................................Southaven, Miss./Desoto Central HS 42..... Jared Bond............................P................. 6-0/240...............Jr............R/R................................Denham Springs, La./Allegany (Md.) CC 43..... Kris Koerper.........................1B................ 6-4/245...............Jr............ L/L............................................Las Cruces, N.M./ El Paso (TX) CC

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall............................................................ 30-19 Conference..................................................... 14-6 Non-Conference.........................................16-13 Home Games..................................................17-5 Away Games.................................................10-12 Neutral Sites....................................................3-2 Day Games...................................................29-17 Night Games..................................................... 1-2 vs. Left Starters............................................. 10-1 vs. Right Starters...................................... 20-18 1 - Run Games.................................................5-8 2 - Run Games.................................................1-4 5+ Run Games.............................................20-5 Extra Innings.....................................................1-0 Shutouts............................................................ 2-3 Scoring 0-2 Runs......................................... 1-10 Scoring 3-5 Runs........................................... 2-5 Scoring 6-9 Runs......................................... 10-3 Scoring 10+ Runs........................................... 17-1 When leading after 6.................................27-3 When trailing after 6..................................2-12 When tied after 6...........................................1-4 When leading after 7...................................9-2 When trailing after 7....................................2-9 When tied after 7..........................................0-2 When leading after 8.................................... 8-1 When trailing after 8....................................1-12 When tied after 8...........................................1-0 Hit 0 homeruns........................................... 13-15 Hit 1 homerun.................................................12-3 Hit 2+ homeruns............................................. 5-1 Opponents 0 homeruns.......................... 21-9 Opponents 1 homerun................................7-6 Opponents 2+ homeruns..........................2-4 Made 0 errors..................................................8-8 Made 1 error.................................................... 11-4 Made 2+ errors...............................................11-7 Opponent 0 errors........................................1-6 Opponent 1 error.........................................10-8 Opponent 2+ errors................................... 19-5 Out-hit Opponent...................................... 24-5 Out-hit by Opponent..................................6-11 Hits are tied..................................................... 0-3 Scored in 1st inning.................................... 14-7 Opponent scored in 1st.......................... 10-10 Scores first...................................................... 18-8 Opponent scores first............................... 12-11

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Delta State Opponents

1 47 31

2 47 21

3 38 39

4 51 31

5 57 30

6 64 28

7 30 15

8 13 14

9 8 9

EX 8 9

Total 355 218

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 45

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY DAVID NICHOLS,

Mississippi College Sports Information

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE

CHOCTAWS

he 2011 Mississippi College baseball season opened with a high level of promise after reaching the NCAA West Regional championship game in 2010. The Choctaws brought back a load of talent to go along with a group of newcomers that were expected to make an immediate impact. After opening the season 3-6, the Choctaws finally got things going, winning 14 of their final 19 games to qualify for the American Southwest Conference Tournament. The three-game series with Hardin-Simmons ended up being a summary of the entire season, showing a lot of promise with a 14-12 win in the first game. The Choctaws, however, would finish with a disappointing 14-12 loss in 14 innings to wrap up the season. Coming into 2012, head coach Brian Owens will look to get his team back atop the ASC standings on the strength of solid returning starting pitching and a nucleus of talent in the field. The coaching staff feels like they have addressed the issues that arose in 2011 and are looking forward to a successful campaign this season.

PITCHERS The Choctaws spent most of 2011 trying to find a replacement for 2010 All-American Tyler Seaman on Friday nights. A dominant starter never came to the surface, but six different hurlers made at least five starts on the year. Senior Ian Underwood (6’0, 205) pitched the most innings for MC, making five starts and going 4-2 with a 4.45 ERA. The Pascagoula native is a solid strike-thrower that will fill many roles for the staff. Senior Ryan Glover (6’3, 205) emerged as the most reliable starter last season, going 2-3 with a 3.88 ERA. The southpaw from Oenonta, AL walked just seven batters and struck out 48 in 48.2 innings pitched. Senior Bo Craig (6’4, 190) rounded out the starting staff at season’s end, tossing eight strong frames in the seasonending, extra-inning loss to the Cowboys. On the year, Craig went 4-1 with a 4.02 ERA. Senior Scott Trousdale (6’2, 175) made 15 appearances and five starts on the season, going 4-2 with a 4.91 ERA and 40 strikeouts. The 46 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Miss. College Sports Information

PITCHER - SCOTT TROUSDALE lefty had his best game of the year in a win over nationally-ranked Texas-Tyler when he struck out 10 batters in 5.2 innings of relief. Sophomore Zac Tucker (6’3, 170) also returns after making two starts in his rookie season. The Fulton native went 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA. The coaching staff believes they have landed three pitching prospects that will insert themselves into the rotation from the first day of camp. Junior Beau Underwood (6’1, 200) compiled a 2.85 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 27 innings while at Pearl River Community College

last season. Underwood was an All-State selection while at St. Patrick Catholic High School in Biloxi. Another junior transfer Kenneth Atwood (6’1, 180) will push for the Friday night job. Atwood went 10-3 with 72 strikeouts and a 3.55 ERA at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The right-hander was twice named the MHSAA Pitcher of the Year and was an AllStar selection in 2008. Freshman Brooks Fortenberry (6-5, 210) will give the Choctaws a youngster that could

the schedule

Photo courtesy Miss. College Sports Information

Feb. 3.......................................... @ Huntingdon Feb. 4.......................................... @ Huntingdon Feb. 11....................................... @ Rhodes (DH) Feb 14................................................@ Belhaven Feb. 18..............................Blue Mountain (DH) Feb. 24................................... Hardin-Simmons Feb. 25........................Hardin-Simmons (DH) Feb. 28.................................................@ Millsaps Mar. 2......................................@ Sul Ross State Mar. 3.......................... @ Sul Ross State (DH) Mar. 9..............................Univ. of Texas (Tyler) Mar. 10................Univ. of Texas (Tyler) (DH) Mar. 12...................................... Illinois Wesleyan Mar. 16......................................... @ LeTourneau Mar. 17...............................@ LeTourneau (DH) Mar. 20....................................................Belahven Mar. 23..................................Louisiana College Mar. 24......................Louisiana College (DH) Mar. 27..................................................@ Millsaps Mar. 30.................................................Centenary Mar. 31...................................... Centenary (DH) Apr. 5.......................................... @ Texas-Dallas Apr. 6.............................. @ Texas-Dallas (DH) Apr. 10....................................................... Millsaps Apr. 13................................. East Texas Baptist Apr. 14......................East Texas baptist (DH) Apr. 20.................................................. @ Ozarks Apr. 21.........................................@ Ozarks (DH) Apr. 23..............................................@ Belhaven Apr. 27-28......... ASC Championship Series May 5-6......... ASC Championship Tourney

have four great years in the system. The lefty went 6-1 with a 1.18 ERA and 64 strikeouts at Magee High School last season. He was a twotime All-State and All-District performer in high school. INFIELD The Choctaws will return three of four starters on the infield this season, led by First Team All-Conference selection Spencer Brunson (6’3, 205) at third base. The Starkville native

INFIELDER - SPENCER BRUNSON led the ASC with 70 hits and 10 home runs, while finishing second in runs scored (51), total bases (111), and on-base percentage (.505). His .417 batting average in 2010 is the fifth best in school history. Brunson brings a unique combination of power and efficiency at the plate. He will look for even bigger things in 2012. Senior shortstop Mike Kerdock (6’0, 195) also returns after a stellar season up the middle for MC. The Greenbelt, MD native finished fourth on the team with a .327 batting average and eight home runs. Kerdock also topped the team with only 13 strikeouts in 150 at-bats on the year. Also coming back is junior first baseman Brett Hightower (6-0, 190), who hit .284 with two home runs and 19 RBI on the season. The Hurst, TX native transferred from Texas-Tyler prior to the season and made an immediate impact. After having a year in the program, Hightower is poised to break out this year. The Choctaws will have to replace the services of second baseman Clay Crosswhite, who started the majority of the season. Crosswhite closed out a great four-year career with a Second Team All-ASC selection after hitting .314 with 10 doubles and 23 RBI. The newcomers expected to step in right away are Josh Perez (5’10, 170) and Murphy Buggs (5’10, 160). Perez will push Kerdock for time at shortstop after hitting .312 with 16 doubles, three triples, and two doubles at Baton

Rouge Community College. Buggs is a scrappy infielder that will see time at second base. The Faulkner State CC transfer hit .280 with 25 RBI last season. outfield The Choctaws will have to replace all three starting outfielders for the second consecutive year. Center fielder Andy Smith made the move to center field after playing first base the previous two seasons. Smith hit .287 with 10 doubles and 24 RBI, while stealing 10 bases from the leadoff spot. Stuart Magee was a First Team All-ASC selection in right field after hitting .366 with nine doubles, four triples, and nine home runs on the season. Magee also led the team with 46 RBI and 14 stolen bases. Brandon Benton transferred from Belhaven prior to the season and earned an All-ASC selection after making his way into the lineup throughout the season. Benton hit .389 with 10 home runs, eight doubles, and 41 RBI. Three players return with experience in the outfield in J’Marcus Brooks (5’10, 175), Jeremy Simmons (5’9, 165), and Eric Wilkes (6’0, 220). Brooks has been primarily used as a pinchrunner over his first three seasons, but showed some pop last season with a .346 batting average and two home runs in 2011. Simmons made seven starts for MC, tallying three doubles and four stolen bases on the year. Wilkes MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 47

saw action late in the season and was impressive in fall practice. The Choctaws have three more newcomers that will push for starting spots in the outfield. Junior Blaine Posey (5’8, 170) was a Rawlings Gold Glove outfielder at Baton Rouge Community College. Posey hit .333 with seven doubles and 28 stolen bases as a senior. As a freshman at Alabama Southern Community College, the speedster stole 26 bases and batted .378. Another BRCC transfer, A.C. Lowrance (6’0, 190), will give the Choctaws an option in one of the corner outfield positions. Lowrance hit .333 with 12 doubles, 42 RBI, and 41 runs scored as a sophomore. Also stepping in will be junior Pate Shackelford (6’3, 190), who comes to the team after spending a year on the MC basketball team. The North Carrollton native played one season of baseball at Delta State before making the move to Clinton. The hard-nosed Shackelford gives MC a combination of speed and power at the plate and in the field. catcher The Choctaws return Chad Wooten (6’0, 175) behind the plate after playing in 21 games and earning starts in the field and as the des-

ignate hitter in 2010. In his limited plate appearances, Wooten hit .385 with two doubles, one home run, and 11 RBI. Wooten is a solid defensive catcher that can really swing it. Two newcomers that will see playing time are junior Brandon Vickery (6’3, 210) and sophomore Zach Evans (5’10, 200). Vickery comes from Crowley’s Ridge College in Arkansas where he hit .333 with 15 doubles and 13 home runs in his career. The Nesbit native was also an All-State selection at Horn Lake High School. Evans transferred from Lambuth University after one season. The Taylorville native was a First Team All-District performer as a senior at Taylorsville High School. OVERALL Head coach Brian Owens did not see the results he expected in 2011 as the Choctaws were bounced out of the ASC Tournament in a tough three-game series against Hardin-Simmons. As the team heads into 2012, he hopes that the team has learned from the tough experience and will take nothing for granted. With a talented group of newcomers joining a solid nucleus of returners, this season could see MC return to the top of the ASC. - MSM

the ROSTER NO... NAME.............................. POS.......... B/T......... HT/WT........... YR....................................... HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1.......... Josh Perez.................................. INF................R/R.............5-10/170 ........... Jr.-Tr............................ New Iberia, La. (Westgate/Baton Rouge CC) 2......... Blaine Posey...............................OF................. L/R..............5-8/175 ............ Jr.-Tr..Denham Springs, La. (Denham Springs/Baton Rouge CC) 3......... Luke Hargett............................ RHP...............R/R..............6-1/205 ............ Jr.-Tr............................. Fulton, Miss. (Itawamba AHS/Itawamba CC) 4......... Brandon Vickery....................... C..................R/R..............6-3/210 ............ Jr.-Tr..................................Nesbit, Miss. (Horn Lake/Crowley’s Ridge) 6......... Murphy Buggs.......................... INF................R/R.............5-10/160 ........... Jr.-Tr....................Saraland, Ala. (McGill-Toolen/Faulkner State CC) 7......... Zac Tucker................................ RHP...............R/R..............6-3/170............. So.-1L............................................................... Fulton, Miss. (Tupelo Chrs.) 8......... Joe DeVan...................................OF.................R/R..............6-0/197 ...........Fr.-HS.......................................................Bay Minette, Ala. (Baldwin Co.) 10....... Austin Trehern......................... RHP...............R/R.............5-10/190............. Jr.-Tr.................. Grand Bay, Ala. (Alma Bryant/Faulkner State CC) 11......... Will Sanders.............................. INF................ L/R..............6-0/175.............. Jr.-Tr......................................Starkville, Miss. (Starkville/MS Delta CC) 12....... Ethan Richardson...................LHP................ L/L..............6-2/210 ...........Fr.-HS.............................................................. Prairieville, La. (Dutchtown) 13....... Brett Hightower....................... INF................ L/L............. 6-0/190.............. Jr.-1L.................................................. Hurst, Texas (Grapevine/UT-Tyler) 14....... Daniel Wass............................... INF................R/R..............5-8/170..............Sr.-Tr...................Pensacola, Fla. (West Florida/Faulkner State CC) 15....... A.C. Lowrance...........................OF.................R/R............. 6-0/190 ............ Jr.-Tr............................ Baton Rouge, La. (Central/Baton Rouge CC) 16....... Beau Underwood............... RHP/OF...........R/R..............6-1/200 ............ Jr.-Tr........................................Biloxi, Miss. (St. Patrick/Pearl River CC) 17....... Pate Shackelford......................OF.................R/R..............6-3/190.............. Jr.-Tr......................North Carrollton, Miss. (Pillow Aca./Delta State) 19....... Eric Wilkes..................................OF.................R/R............. 6-0/220.............Sr.-1L................................... Ridgeland, Miss. (Ridgeland/Holmes CC) 20...... Jeremy Simmons.....................OF................. L/L..............5-9/165..............Sr.-1L....... Perkinston, Miss. (Harrison Central/MS Gulf Coast CC) 21....... Kenneth Atwood.................... RHP...............R/R.............. 6-1/180 ............. Jr.-Tr.............Gulfport, Miss. (Harrison Central/MS Gulf Coast CC) 22...... Ian Underwood....................... RHP...............R/R............. 6-0/205............ Sr.-2L..............Pascagoula, Miss. (Pascagoula/Faulkner State CC) 23...... Ryan Glover...............................LHP................ L/L............. 6-3/205.............Sr.-1L..................................Oneonta, Ala. (Oneonta/Snead State CC) 24...... Mike Kerdock............................ INF................R/R..............6-0/195..............Sr.-1L.............. Greenbelt, Md. (Eleanor Roosevelt/NW Shoals CC) 25...... Bo Craig..................................... RHP...............R/R..............6-4/190..............Sr.-1L............................Greenwood, Miss. (Pillow Aca./MS Delta CC) 26...... Rob Thames.............................. INF................R/R.............. 6-1/210...............Sr.-1L.............................Canton, Miss. (Madison Central/Delta State) 27...... Spencer Brunson.................... INF................R/R............. 6-3/205.............Sr.-1L.......................... Starkville, Miss. (Starkville Aca./MS Delta CC) 28...... J’Marcus Brooks.......................OF.................R/R............. 5-10/175............ Sr.-3L.............................................................Columbus, Miss. (Columbus) 29...... Wesley Williams..................... RHP...............R/R ...........5-10/170............ Sr.-3L............................................................ Ridgeland, Miss. (Ridgeland) 30...... Scott Trousdale.......................LHP................ L/L ............ 6-2/175..............Sr.-1L.................................... Florence, Ala. (Florence/NW Shoals CC) 31....... Andrew Olmsted.................... RHP...............R/R ............6-0/165.............Fr.-HS...................................................................Brandon, Miss. (Brandon) 32...... Zach Evans.................................. C..................R/R .......... 5-10/200 .......... So.-Tr.....................................Taylorsville, Miss. (Taylorsville/Lambuth) 33...... Brooks Fortenberry...............LHP................ L/R ............6-5/210.............Fr.-HS........................................................................... Magee, Miss. (Magee) 34...... Bucky Shipp............................. RHP...............R/R ........... 6-3/220............ So.-1L.......................................................Yazoo City, Miss. (Benton Aca.) 35...... Chad Wooten............................. C..................R/R ............6-0/175..............Sr.-1L....................................Terry, Miss. (Hillcrest Chrs./MS Delta CC) 36...... Luke Davis.................................. INF................R/R..............5-9/180 ...........Fr.-HS........................................................................... Saltillo, Miss. (Tupelo) 40...... Tyler Womack......................... RHP...............R/R............. 6-3/190............ So.-1L................................................................ Olive Branch, Miss. (SBEC) 41....... Clint Barthel.............................. INF................R/R...........................................Fr.-HS...................................................................... Decatur, Ala. (Priceville)

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall.............................................................24-18 Conference.......................................................11-7 Non-Conference.......................................... 13-11 Home Games................................................. 14-9 Away Games..................................................10-9 Neutral Sites................................................... 0-0 Day Games....................................................14-12 Night Games..................................................10-6 vs. Left Starters...............................................4-1 vs. Right Starters.......................................20-17 1 - Run Games.................................................4-7 2 - Run Games................................................ 2-5 5+ Run Games................................................14-1 Extra Innings.................................................... 2-2 Shutouts............................................................. 2-1 Scoring 0-2 Runs......................................... 0-3 Scoring 3-5 Runs...........................................3-8 Scoring 6-9 Runs...........................................6-3 Scoring 10+ Runs......................................... 15-4 When leading after 6..................................21-3 When trailing after 6..................................3-12 When tied after 6......................................... 0-3 When leading after 7................................. 12-4 When trailing after 7....................................2-6 When tied after 7...........................................1-4 When leading after 8................................. 14-2 When trailing after 8................................... 0-8 When tied after 8...........................................1-4 Hit 0 homeruns.............................................6-12 Hit 1 homerun..................................................6-3 Hit 2+ homeruns...........................................12-3 Opponents 0 homeruns...........................17-11 Opponents 1 homerun................................5-6 Opponents 2+ homeruns........................... 2-1 Made 0 errors..................................................6-5 Made 1 error....................................................12-2 Made 2+ errors...............................................6-11 Opponent 0 errors....................................... 2-3 Opponent 1 error...........................................6-4 Opponent 2+ errors................................... 16-11 Out-hit Opponent....................................... 19-8 Out-hit by Opponent..................................4-9 Hits are tied........................................................ 1-1 Scored in 1st inning.....................................12-2 Opponent scored in 1st.............................. 7-8 Scores first.......................................................17-6 Opponent scores first................................7-12

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Miss. College Opponents

1 27 28

48 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

2 28 13

3 56 16

4 36 24

5 55 34

6 67 49

7 49 35

8 28 27

9 20 20

EX 7 8

Total 373 254

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY JAMES HILL,

Millsaps Sports Information

MILLSAPS

MAJORS

henever you bring up the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, there is one team that is not only going to be competitive week in and week out, but can always go on to win a championship; that team is the Millsaps Majors. Entering his 24th season and the final season in the SCAC, Head Coach Jim Page looks to go out with a bang. The Majors look to fight for another SCAC Title as they enter a promising 2012 campaign. A season ago, Millsaps finished second in the Western Division, but saw an early exit in the SCAC Tournament as they finished with a 24-18 record and an 11-9 record in conference. Millsaps showed great promise throughout the season, but must replace a few key starters from last season to make a run at championship number nine. The Majors lost All-SCAC third baseman Will Hawkins, as well as All-SCAC pitchers Jason Riggins and Aaron Williams. Williams led the Majors and was top five in the SCAC with six wins, 14 starts, four complete games and 72.2 innings pitched. Riggins, meanwhile, posted a 5-1 record while recording a team leading 58 strikeouts and three saves. The offense loses arguably its most dangerous hitter on the team and in the conference in Will Hawkins, who led the team with eight home runs, 49 runs batted in, 14 doubles, 19 stolen bases, 45 runs scored and 63 hits after a tremendous football and baseball career. Though the Majors are losing tremendous talent, they return one All-SCAC player in sophomore second baseman Kevin Wall, as well as honorable mentions junior Stephen Gates and senior Jules Roussel. In the infield, Millsaps returns an experienced group beginning with Wall, who was second on the team last season with 12 doubles and third with 44 hits and fourth on the team with a .324 average at the plate. He also shows tremendous speed as he picked up 13 steals on the season. He was third on the team among starting fielders in the field with a .972 fielding percentage. Wall will serve as the

Photo courtesy Millsaps Sports Information

OUTFIELDER - JULES ROUSSEL spark plug for the Majors offense this season as he will try to reach base in front of Stephen Gates, who led the Majors with a .412 average. Gates was a huge surprise as he began to see time as a pinch hitter starting against Hendrix at the midseason point. Gates hit so well in

those situations that he eventually earned a spot as the designated hitter and continued to swing a hot bat. With Hawkins graduated, Gates will move over to the full time third baseman. Millsaps also return starting junior catcher Wes Perkins who drove in 23 runs a MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 49

the schedule Feb. 7.......................................... Belhaven Univ. Feb. 10................................. Piedmont/Ozarks Feb. 11................................... Piedmont/Ozarks Feb. 12.................................. Piedmont/Ozarks Feb. 17..........@ Westminster College (Mo.) Feb. 18....................@ Simpson College (Ar.) Feb. 19.......................... @ Univ. of the Ozarks Feb. 21............. @ Huntingdon College (Al.) Feb. 25.............................................@ LaGrange Feb. 26........................................@ Emory Univ. Feb. 28........................................... Miss. College Mar. 2.............@ Montclair State Univ. (Ga.) Mar. 3.................. @ Peidmont College (Ga.) Mar. 4........................@ Methodist Univ. (Ga.) Mar. 7...........................Birmingham-Southern Mar. 11....................................... Illinois Wesleyan Mar. 13..................................... Illinois Wesleyan Mar. 16............................ @ LaGrange College Mar. 17............................. @ LaGrange College Mar. 18............................ @ LaGrange College Mar. 20............................ Huntingdon College Mar. 22................ @ Birmongham-Southern Mar. 24............................. @ Oglethorpe Univ. Mar. 25............................. @ Oglethorpe Univ. Mar. 27............................................ Miss. College Mar. 31....................... @ Centre College (DH) Apr. 1......................................@ Centre College Apr. 4........................................... Belhaven Univ. Apr. 6........................................... Sewanee Univ. Apr. 7........................................... Sewanee Univ. Apr. 10.......................................@ Miss. College Apr. 14...........................Rhodes College (DH) Apr. 15...................................... Rhodes College Apr. 17.......................................... Belhaven Univ. Apr. 21..............Birmingham-Southern (DH) Apr. 26-29.........................SCAC Tournament

season ago and senior shortstop Drew Leonard who picked up 16 stolen bases and two homeruns as they will be key to the Majors success. Millsaps also looks to the combination of seniors Drew Respess and Andrew Evans to take over at first base. In the outfield, Millsaps loses Josh Ordeneaux and Jeremy Aliff who both had tremendous speed, but return Roussel. The big, power hitter was second on the team a season ago with three home runs and 27 RBIs while boasting a .311 batting average in 41 starts. The Majors will bring in new faces in senior Jordan Nolan, senior Ryan Zemke, and junior Will Lawrence who all look to make their way into the starting role this season. Nolan re50 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Millsaps Sports Information

INFIELDER - KEVIN WALL turns this season after tearing his ACL prior to the season starting a year ago. The senior appeared in 13 games two years ago and picked up three stolen bases. Zemke appeared in 29 games with nine stats while batting .333 at the plate. He also was 6-for-7 in stolen bases. The Majors pitching staff will see junior starter Elliot Varney return from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s season ending shoulder injury. Up until his injury, he was 2-4 on the season with a 6.85 ERA and 35 strikeouts. Varney figures to either close games for the Majors this season or the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one starter. Juniors Will Elmore and Wes Perkins also figure to star for the Majors rotation in the upcoming season. Elmore, known for a devastating curve ball, was 2-3 on the season with 29 strikeouts in 14 relief appearances. Millsaps also returns Zemke, sophomore Zander Romano, and junior Alex Granier Coach Page will have to get instant contributions from a few key freshmen, both in the pitching staff and in the field. Freshmen William Chenoweth and West Hammond will both push for roles either in the starting rotation or coming from the Majors bullpen. The Majors do lack left-handed pitching on the roster with only freshman Max McNabb

available in that role. Freshman Keith Shumaker will also look to make an impact in the infield. The Majors need to find consistent pitching to be successful this season. The Majors were 6-15 when allowing six or more runs, but boasted a 16-7 record when scoring six or more runs. The Majors can score runs as they score 10 runs or more 12 times last season (11-1 when they do). Millsaps will be dangerous again on the base paths as much of their speed returns. A season ago, Millsaps was 106-out-of-133 stealing and look for that kind of success again. Other keys include fielding, the Majors struggled last season in the field and committed 81 errors with a .949 fielding percentage. The Majors must play well away from Twenty Field, as they were a combined 9-11 at other parks while 15-7 at home. With the season approaching, the Majors have been one of the most successful teams in the SCAC and there is nothing more they want then to finish their tenure in the SCAC with a championship. With the experience coming back, the talent coming in, and the coach to lead the way, the Majors can end 2012 on a high note. - MSM

the STATS

PITCHER - ELLIOT VARNEY

WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall.............................................................24-18 Conference.....................................................11-10 Non-Conference.......................................... 13-8 Home Games..................................................15-7 Away Games....................................................8-8 Neutral Sites..................................................... 1-3 Day Games.................................................... 18-13 Night Games....................................................6-5 vs. Left Starters............................................... 2-1 vs. Right Starters....................................... 22-17 1 - Run Games................................................. 8-7 2 - Run Games............................................... 3-0 5+ Run Games.............................................. 9-10 Extra Innings....................................................4-2 Shutouts.............................................................0-1 Scoring 0-2 Runs...........................................1-9 Scoring 3-5 Runs........................................... 7-2 Scoring 6-9 Runs...........................................5-6 Scoring 10+ Runs............................................11-1 When leading after 6...................................15-1 When trailing after 6..................................6-12 When tied after 6..........................................3-5 When leading after 7..................................12-2 When trailing after 7....................................5-8 When tied after 7........................................... 1-2 When leading after 8................................. 13-0 When trailing after 8..................................... 1-8 When tied after 8..........................................3-4 Hit 0 homeruns........................................... 15-15 Hit 1 homerun..................................................4-3 Hit 2+ homeruns........................................... 5-0 Opponents 0 homeruns.........................15-10 Opponents 1 homerun................................6-5 Opponents 2+ homeruns..........................3-3 Made 0 errors................................................... 8-1 Made 1 error..................................................... 7-5 Made 2+ errors..............................................9-12 Opponent 0 errors.......................................4-3 Opponent 1 error...........................................6-2 Opponent 2+ errors..................................14-13 Out-hit Opponent....................................... 14-2 Out-hit by Opponent.................................7-16 Hits are tied..................................................... 3-0 Scored in 1st inning......................................11-3 Opponent scored in 1st............................ 6-10 Scores first...................................................... 13-5 Opponent scores first............................... 11-13

Photo courtesy Millsaps Sports Information

the ROSTER NO...NAME.............................POS............B/T...........HT/WT.......YR.................................HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1.........Kevin Wall.............................. IF................. R/R............. 5-7/155........ So.............................Birmingham, Ala. / Shades Valley HS 2........Jordan Nolan.......................OF................ L/R.............6-0/170........ Sr..................................................... Hardin, Texas / Hardin HS 3........Wes Perkins.....................C/RHP............ R/R.............6-1/200........ Jr..............................................Geismar, La. / Dutchtown HS 4........Drew Leonard...................... IF................. R/R.............5-11/175........ Sr.................Baton Rouge, La. / SE Louisiana University 5........Andrew Evans...................... IF................. L/R.............6-2/195........ Sr..................... Ocean Springs, Miss. / MS Gulf Coast CC 6........Jerrod Myers.......................OF................ R/R.............5-8/175........ Jr..............................................................................Jackson, Miss. 7........West Hammond........... RHP/OF.......... R/R.............6-3/195........ Fr...............................................................................Winona, Miss. 8........Will Elmore...................... IF/RHP........... R/R.............5-11/175........ Jr.........................................Houston, Texas / Clear Lake HS 9........Alex Granier....................... RHP.............. R/R.............5-8/165........ Sr....................................Baton Rouge, La. / St. Michael HS 11........Zander Romano............ RHP/1B........... R/R.............6-3/195....... So...... Diamondhead, Miss. / St. Stanislaus College HS 12......Zack Snider........................ RHP.............. R/R............. 6-1/190........ Jr................ Woodland Park, Colo. / Woodland Park HS 13......J.T. Newell..............................OF................ L/R.............6-2/190........ Jr.................................................. Brandon, Miss. / Pisgah HS 14......Samuel Doucet..............SS/RHP.......... R/R............5-10/160....... Fr.......................................................................Baton Rouge, La. 15......Jarrod Howell......................OF................ L/R.............5-9/175....... So.................................Moss Point, Miss. / East Central HS 16......Drew Respess...................... IF................. R/R.............6-0/215........ Sr....................... Olive Branch, Miss. / DeSoto Central HS 18......Adam Bice............................. IF................. R/R.............5-9/185........ Jr........................Adamsville, Ala. / Sumiton Christian HS 19......Tanner Woodson...........C/RHP............ R/R............5-10/190....... Sr........................................ Vicksburg, Miss. / Vicksburg HS 20.....John Bourque...................... IF................. R/R............5-10/180....... Jr........................................................Benton, La. / Benton HS 22.....Ken Stewart.......................... C................. R/R............ 6-0/160........ Fr..............................................................................Jackson, Miss. 23.....Elliot Varney....................... RHP.............. R/R.............6-4/210........ Jr..............................................Madison, Miss. / St. Andrewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 24.....Ryan Zemke.........................OF................ R/L.............5-8/165........ Sr........... Baton Rouge, La. / Louisiana State University 25.....Andrew Rafferty................. IF................. L/R............ 6-3/230...... So.......................................Ridgeland, Miss. / Ridgeland HS 27.....Keith Shumaker............. IF/RHP........... L/R............ 6-3/220....... Fr.............................................................................Brandon, Miss. 29.....Stephen Gates..................... IF................. R/R.............5-9/165........ Jr................................. Cocoa, Fla. / Holy Trinity Academy 32.....Jules Roussel.......................OF................ L/L............ 6-3/220....... Sr..................................Destrehan, La. / Brother Martin HS 33.....Will Lawrence.....................OF................ R/R............. 6-1/185......... Jr........................................ Kosciusko, Miss. / Kosciusko HS 34.....Will Edwards...................... RHP.............. R/R............. 6-1/195......... Jr..........................................................................Kosciusko, Miss. 35.....Brandon Dixon.................. RHP.............. R/R............ 5-11/205....... Fr........................................................................... Houston, Texas 36.....Annon Etheridge................ IF................. L/R.............5-8/160........ Fr.............................................................................Brandon, Miss. 37.....Collin Peak....................... IF/RHP........... R/R............ 6-4/205....... Fr.......................................................................Baton Rouge, La. 38.....Austin Morrison............. RHP/IF........... R/R............6-2/200....... Fr......................................................................... Ridgeland, Miss. 39.....Bryce Blackburn................. IF................. R/R............. 5-7/185......... Fr........................................................................ Collierville, Tenn. 42.....William Chenoweth.... RHP/OF.......... R/R............ 6-0/190........ Fr........................................................................... Houston, Texas 46.....Harrison Olinger........... IF/RHP........... L/R............ 6-2/250....... Fr......................................................................... Ridgeland, Miss. 47.....Max McNabb......................LHP............... L/L.............6-1/220........ Fr.................................................................................Dallas, Texas

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Millsaps Opponents

1 38 37

2 19 29

3 32 29

4 36 14

5 35 31

6 34 37

7 41 52

8 29 28

9 10 14

EX 14 5

Total 288 276

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 51

2012 COLLEGE BASEBALL PREVIEW

BY KIRK McDONNELL,

Belhaven Sports Information

BELHAVEN UNIVERSITY

BLAZERS

he Belhaven baseball team is excited about what the 2012 season has in store after a record breaking 2011 campaign. The Blazers completed the schedule with an overall record of 45-18, and for the third consecutive season made it to the championship game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round tournament. Belhaven also enjoyed great success as a first year member of the Southern States Athletic Conference. The Blazers finished third in the SSAC West Division at 11-7, but heated up at the conference tournament and took home the SSAC Championship with a 4-1 record in tournament play. Belhaven enters the 2012 season ranked 15th in the NAIA Baseball Coachesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Preseason Top 25 Poll.

INfield Belhaven will practically have an entirely new infield in 2012 with the graduation of shortstop Lake Eiland, second baseman Matt Discon and third baseman Jordan Brewer. Ryan Saunders is the only returning starter on the infield and is penciled in as the starting first baseman. Saunders, a senior from B.C. Canada, ended the 2011 season with a .351 batting average and 57 total hits. Saunders also had five home runs to go along with 10 doubles, three triples and 37 runs batted in. Saunders also played outstanding defense, committing only three errors in 355 total chances which equated to a .992 fielding percentage. One of the new players Belhaven is excited about is Bud Britt who is the front runner for the third base job this season. Britt, who hails from Brookhaven, MS, is transferring in from Copiah-Lincoln Community College where he compiled a .407 batting average this past season. He also led the team in hits (57), doubles (14), and was six for seven in stolen bases. Britt blasted three home runs, drove in 26 runs, and struck out only nine times in 140 at bats. At shortstop, newcomers Hamilton Harper and Ryne Cook are competing for the starting 52 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

Photo courtesy Belhaven Sports Information

INFIELDER - RYAN SAUNDERS position vacated by Eiland. Cook, an infielder from Willard, MO, comes to Belhaven from Three Rivers Community College where he hit .301 with eight stolen bases as the Raiders shortstop. Harper, who hails from Clermont, GA, prepped at North Hall High School where he batted .375 with seven home runs, nine doubles, 11 stolen bases, and a school record 43 runs scored. Harper was also a 2011 First Team All Region and Area Honorable Mention selection. Jason Hicks appears to be the favorite to take over at second base. Hicks, a native of Brandon, MS, is transferring into the program after spending last season at NCAA Division I University of Louisiana-Monroe. Hicks played in 35 games and started 24 last

season at ULM where he hit at a .255 clip. He began his collegiate career in 2009 at Hinds Community College and compiled a .353 batting average with eight home runs, 14 doubles, and swiped 15 bases in 18 attempts. Hicks redshirted during the 2010 season due to an injury. Emilio DeSilva is another incoming freshman who could factor into the equation on the infield this season. DeSilva, a native of Plantation, FL, prepped at Calvary Christian Academy where he hit .455 with two home runs, nine doubles, drove in 14 runs, and was 7 for 9 in stolen base attempts. Clay Bonds is the leading candidate to take over behind the dish in 2012. Bonds, who hails from Pensacola, FL, spent three seasons as the

the schedule Jan. 27........................ Blue Mountain College Jan. 28........... Blue Mountain College (DH) Jan. 31....................................Tougaloo College Feb. 3.................................. @ LSU-Alexandria Feb. 4.......................@ LSU-Alexandria (DH) Feb. 7................................. @ Millsaps College Feb. 9................... Cumberland Univ. (Tenn.) Feb. 10....................Southern Polytech (Ga.) Feb. 11.......................................LSU-Shreveport Feb. 14................................ Mississippi College Feb. 15...................................Tougaloo College Feb. 17................................... Loyola Univ. (La.) Feb. 18....................... Loyola Univ. (La.) (DH) Feb. 21...............................Bethel Univ. (Tenn.) Feb. 24.............@Truett-McConnell College Feb. 25.......... @ Truett-McConnell College (DH) Feb. 29............................................Rust College Mar. 2..................................... @ Univ. of Mobile Mar. 3......................... @ Univ. of Mobile (DH) Mar. 6..................................Union Univ. (Tenn.) Mar. 9.............................. Auburn-Mongomery Mar. 10...............Auburn-Montgomery (DH) Mar. 13......................... @ Bethel Univ. (Tenn.) Mar. 14.......................... @ Union Univ. (Tenn.) Mar. 16..........................@ Faulkner Univ. (Al.) Mar. 17............... @ Faulkner Univ. (Al.) (DH) Mar. 20..........................@ Mississippi College Mar. 23..................... Spring Hill College (Al.) Mar. 24......... Spring Hill College (Al.) (DH) Mar. 27.............................. @ Freed-Hardeman Mar. 28............................................Rust College Mar. 30................... Emmanuel College (Ga.) Mar. 31........ Emmanuel College (Ga.) (DH) Apr. 3.....................................Tougaloo College Apr. 4........................................Millsaps College Apr. 6....................................... @ William Carey Apr. 7........................... @ William Carey (DH) Apr. 10....................................Freed-Hardeman Apr. 13........................... @ Shorter Univ. (Ga.) Apr. 14............... @ Shorter Univ. (Ga.) (DH) Apr. 17.......................................Millsaps College Apr. 20....................................Lee Univ. (Tenn.) Apr. 21............................Lee univ. (Tenn.)(DH) Apr. 23............................... Mississippi College Apr. 26-May 3.................. SSAC Tournament

starting catcher at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort prior to signing with Belhaven for the upcoming season. Bonds owns a career batting average of .291 with 14 doubles, three home runs, and 47 runs batted in. outfield Belhaven brings back two key outfielders from last season with Tyler Wrinkle and Anthony Doss returning to the club this year. Doss, a senior from Brandon, MS, posted a .363 batting average and had 57 hits in 157 at bats in 2011. Doss accumulated nine doubles,

Photo courtesy Belhaven Sports Information

OUTFIELDER - ANTHONY DOSS three triples, three home runs, and 31 runs batted in. Doss came on strong at the end of the season and was major factor in Belhaven’s postseason run. Doss was named to the SSAC All-West Division team and was used mainly as a DH, but this season he’ll see a lot of action in the outfield. Wrinkle, a junior outfielder from Lebanon, MS hit at a .343 clip and was third on the team in total hits with 70. Wrinkle notched 18 doubles, had two triples, and shared the team lead in home runs with five. Wrinkle drove home 41 runs and led the team in stolen bases with 13. Newcomers Chad Wardlaw and Joshua Bouldin will be competing for playing time and a starting position in the outfield. Wardlaw comes to Belhaven as a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Wardlow, a native of Olive Branch, MS, posted a .359 batting average with four doubles, two triples, one home run, and swiped 21 bases in 23 attempts this past season. Bouldin, a native of Madison, MS, is transferring to Belhaven after spending the past two seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College where he compiled a batting average of over .310. Prior to going to Southwest, Bouldin was a member of the 2009 Madison Central High School team that won the Mississippi State Championship. PITCHING Belhaven’s pitching staff has the potential to be one of the best the program has ever had with the talent and depth on the club this sea-

son. Depth is a major factor when it comes to success throughout the year and especially in postseason play. Belhaven has its starting rotation back along with closer Josh Clarke and setup man Jon Patino at the back end of the bullpen. Last year’s starters were Allen Johnson, Brett Blaise, Brandon McHenry and Alan McHenry. Johnson, a senior from Lena, MS, was 6-4 with a 2.78 ERA in 2011. In 107 innings, Johnson had 74 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .237 batting average. Blaise joined Doss on the SSAC All-Division team in 2011. Blaise, a senior who hails from Columbus, MS, owned an 8-1 record with an ERA of 3.84 this season. Blaise had a pair of complete games and worked 68 total innings on the hill with 64 strikeouts. McHenry, a senior from Madison, MS, continued to get stronger as the year went on and made some key starts for Belhaven in the postseason. McHenry finished the season with a 6-1 record and had an ERA of 4.02. He struck out 49 in 65 innings of work. Alan McHenry, a senior from Ontario, Canada, was a member of the Belhaven starting rotation and posted a 6-3 record with a 4.48 ERA and also helped contribute to the success the Blazers had in 2011. Clarke, a senior from Clinton, MS, anchored the back end of the bullpen recording 10 saves while boasting a 4-2 record in 2011. Clarke had an ERA of 2.12 and in 34 innings of work struck out 46 opposing hitters. He was named to the SSAC All-Conference for his efforts out of the pen in 2011. Patino, a senior from Frederick, MD, was 4-2 out of MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 53

the pen with a 1.70 ERA. In 42.1 innings, he struck out 40 and walked only nine. Belhaven’s big signees during the offseason are three transfers from the University of Southern Mississippi. Geoffrey Thomas, Jonathan Thompson, and Matthew Shaw should all be big contributors to the club this season. Thomas, a native of Stone Mountain, GA, went 10-3 with a 3.09 ERA while striking out 54 in 84 innings of work. He held opponents to a .241 batting average and was a First Team All-Conference USA selection during the 2011 season. Thompson, a native of Denham Springs, LA, went 7-1 for the Golden Eagles in 2011 while posting a 3.49 ERA. Thompson struck out 43 opposing hitters in 69 innings of work and held opponents to a .273 batting average. Shaw, who hails from Oxford, MS, comes to Belhaven as a transfer from the University of Southern Mississippi. Shaw also pitched at Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 at NWCC, Shaw went 6-4 with an ERA of 5.10, tossed 54.2 in-

nings and recorded 49 strikeouts. OVERVIEW Belhaven Head Coach Hill Denson and the Blazers are anxious to get the season underway and see the 2012 club in action. “The strength of the team this season is the overall depth that we have on the team,” says Head Coach Hill Denson. “We have always had talented players, but we probably have more depth than we ever have on the mound and in the field this year. The biggest key for us this season will be taking advantage of the depth we have in our pitching staff. In order to make a solid run through our 55 game schedule, and conference and opening round tournaments to make it back to the NAIA World Series; we have to have solid pitching. On offense, the key for us will be to replace the offensive production from guys like Jimmy Guilford and Lake Eiland. We believe that we brought in some outstanding players who will be able to put up some big offensive numbers for us this season.” - MSM

the ROSTER NO...NAME.........................................POS................B/T...........HT/WT............... YR...............................HOMETOWN (LAST SCHOOL) 1.........Ryne Cook................................INF.................R/R..........5’11”/170...............JR................................. Willard, MO / Three Rivers CC. 2........Justin Crawl............................. OF.................R/R............5’11.175.................FR............................... Gainesville, FL / St. Francis HS. 3........ Tyler Chustz................................ LHP.................. R/L........... 6’0”/170................ FR...... New Roads, LA /Catholic HSm Pointe Coupee. 4........Justin Hill...................................INF.................R/R......... 6’0”/150...............SR........... Pelham, AL / Shades Mountain Christian. 5........Josiah Richard........................INF.................S/R..........5’9”/155.............. SO....................Charleston, ME / Foxcroft Academy. 6........Emilio DeSilva.........................INF.................R/R......... 6’0”/190..............FR..... Plantation, FL /Calvary Christian Academy. 7........Josh Clarke..............................RHP................R/R.........5’10”/170..............SR..................................................Clinton, MS/ Hinds CC. 9........Reagan Rutledge.................. OF.................S/R..........5’11”/165...............FR...................The Woodlands, TX / MtB Mustangs. 10......Nick Meekins..........................LHP................ L/L.......... 5’8”/175...............JR...................................Frederick, MD / Frederick CC. 11........Dillon Berry..............................INF.................R/R......... 6’0”/180............. SO.................................Shreveport, LA / Loyola Prep.. 12......Bud Britt....................................INF.................R/R.......... 6’1”/210...............JR..................Brookhaven, MS / Copiah-Lincoln CC. 13......Matthew Shaw.......................RHP................R/R..........6’3”/190...............SR...................................... Oxford, MS / Southern Miss. 14......Anthony Doss......................... OF................. L/R..........6’1”/205............ R-SR...............................Brandon, MS / Southern Miss.. 15......Chad Wardlaw........................ OF................. L/R..........6’0”/170...............JR....................Olive Branch, MS/ Northwest MS CC. 16......Tyler Wrinkle............................ OF.................R/R..........5’11”/190...............SR..............................Lebanon, MO / Three Rivers CC. 17......Jason Hicks..............................INF.................R/R..........5’11”/190...............JR...........................Brandon, MS / Louisiana-Monroe. 18......Kyle Wheeler.............................C...................R/R..........5’11”/195...............JR...........................Loranger, LA / Southwest MS CC. 19......Zach Zylstra............................. OF................. R/L..........6’0”/175...............FR.....................................Pella, IA / Pella Christian HS. 21......Jonathan Thompson..........RHP................R/R..........6’1”/205...............SR.................. Denham Springs, LA / Southern Miss. 22.....Ryan Kassab...........................RHP................R/R..........6’0”/215............ R-SR................................Frederick, MD / Frederick CC. 23.....Joshua Bouldin....................... OF.................R/R..........5’11”/185...............JR........................... Madison, MS / Southwest MS CC. 24.....Michael Wurster................ OF/INF.............R/R..........6’2”/170...............FR.................................. Houston, TX / MtB Mustangs. 25.....Sean Kelly................................RHP................R/R..........6’3”/180...............SR............................. Carriere, MS / Univ. of Kentucky. 26.....Brandon McHenry................RHP................R/R..........6’3”/185...............SR...................................Madison, MS / MS State Univ.. 27.....Avery Johnson.......................RHP................R/R......... 5’10”/175........... R-FR.................................... Brandon, MS / Brandon HS. 28.....Tom Wertz................................INF.................R/R......... 6’0”/180........... R-SR........................Sugarland, TX / Univ. of Houston. 29.....Hamilton Harper....................INF................. L/R..........6’2”/185...............FR................................. Clermont, GA / North Hall HS. 30.....Geoffrey Thomas..................RHP................R/R..........6’2”/180...............JR..................................Stone Mt., GA/ Southern Miss. 31......Allen Johnson........................RHP................R/R..........6’3”/210...............SR....................................... Lena, MS / East Central CC. 32.....Mark Husband........................RHP................R/R......... 6’5”/220..............SR................................Tunica, MS / Northwest MS CC. 33.....Robert Marzoni.....................RHP................R/R.......... 6’1/200................SR.........................................Purvis, MS/ Pearl River CC. 34.....Brett Blaise..............................LHP................ L/L..........6’5”/195...............SR............................... Columbus, MS / Pearl River CC. 35.....Jon Patino................................RHP................R/R..........6’0”/185...............SR...................................Frederick, MD / Frederick CC. 37.....Jared Miller..............................RHP................R/R......... 6’4”/225...........R-SO..................................Sumrall, MS / MS State Univ.. 38.....Alan McHenry........................RHP................R/R..........6’3”/180............ R-SR...... Ontario, Canada / Medowvale Secondary. 39.....Ryan Saunders.......................INF................. L/R......... 6’3”/220..............SR................................B.C. Canada / Douglas College. 40.....Clay Bonds.................................C...................R/R.......... 6’1”/185................SR...........Pensacola, FL / South Carolina-Beaufort. 42.....Brayden Dykes.........................C...................R/R.........6’0”/200..............JR...........................Moss Point, MS / East Central HS. 44.....David Hill..................................RHP................R/R..........6’4”/170.............. SO.........................................Madison, MS / Holmes CC. 45.....Keith Fagan.............................RHP................R/R......... 6’2”/200..............JR.......................................... Quitman, MS/ Holmes CC. 47.....Jason Brown..............................C...................R/R..........6’1” /210...............FR................... Houston, TX / Houston Christian HS. 48.....Kevin Lopez............................RHP................ L/R..........6’4”/215...............FR............................... San Antonio de los Altos, VEN

the STATS WIN-LOSS RECORD Overall.............................................................45-18 Conference.......................................................11-7 Non-Conference.........................................34-11 Home Games................................................ 26-6 Away Games.................................................. 12-11 Neutral Sites..................................................... 7-1 Day Games...................................................32-14 Night Games.................................................. 13-4 vs. Left Starters..............................................9-4 vs. Right Starters.......................................36-14 1 - Run Games............................................... 10-7 2 - Run Games................................................ 5-2 5+ Run Games.............................................. 21-4 Extra Innings..................................................... 6-1 Shutouts............................................................. 8-1 Scoring 0-2 Runs..........................................2-9 Scoring 3-5 Runs...........................................5-6 Scoring 6-9 Runs........................................ 22-3 Scoring 10+ Runs.........................................16-0 When leading after 6................................. 36-1 When trailing after 6..................................7-14 When tied after 6.......................................... 2-2 When leading after 7...................................19-1 When trailing after 7...................................7-14 When tied after 7..........................................6-2 When leading after 8...................................21-1 When trailing after 8...................................2-12 When tied after 8...........................................4-1 Hit 0 homeruns..........................................25-14 Hit 1 homerun................................................ 16-4 Hit 2+ homeruns........................................... 4-0 Opponents 0 homeruns........................36-12 Opponents 1 homerun................................ 7-5 Opponents 2+ homeruns........................... 2-1 Made 0 errors................................................ 14-3 Made 1 error................................................... 12-4 Made 2+ errors............................................. 19-11 Opponent 0 errors.....................................10-6 Opponent 1 error......................................... 14-7 Opponent 2+ errors....................................21-5 Out-hit Opponent...................................... 35-4 Out-hit by Opponent................................ 4-12 Hits are tied......................................................6-2 Scored in 1st inning.....................................21-3 Opponent scored in 1st.............................12-7 Scores first..................................................... 33-6 Opponent scores first.............................. 12-12

INNING BY INNING TEAMS Belhaven Opponents

1 53 38

54 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

2 35 33

3 71 25

4 65 54

5 56 36

6 49 24

7 44 26

8 35 22

9 18 29

EX 6 2

Total 432 289

MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE | 55

JAKE’S TAKE

THE DAWGHOUSE

KENNEDY continued from page 12

THE BOYS continued from page 13

including a win over Marquette - a team that decimated Ole Miss in November. Mike Anderson’s Arkansas Razorbacks are improved, And you can bet Anthony Grant will have his gritty Alabama team, which missed the Tourney by the skin of its teeth in 2011, ready to make a hard charge at March. And that’s not even mentioning dates with perennial championship contenders Kentucky and Florida and always good Vanderbilt and Tennessee. In his five previous years, the SEC schedule has been Ole Miss’ NCAA demise. Kennedy’s teams have hovered around the .500 mark in conference play with three 7-9 seasons, an 8-8 and a 9-7 finish. Using those as a guide, along with the theory that this isn’t one of Kennedy’s better basketball team with the absence of a scorer like Terrico White or Chris Warren, and a 7-9 or 8-8 conference finish seem optimistic for 2012, but even with eight SEC wins Ole Miss would finish the season 18-12 and again fail to get on the Dance card. Which leads us back to The Kennedy Conundrum: Is Andy Kennedy the coach that will get Ole Miss back to the NCAA Tournament? How long will 20-win seasons with .500 in-conference records and NIT Tournament berths be good enough at Ole Miss? Are expectations beyond what Kennedy has accomplished at Ole Miss foolish? If it wasn’t for that run in the late 1990’s early 2000’s when Ole Miss went to the NCAA Tournament four out of five years and even advanced to the Sweet 16, it might seem so. But most Ole Miss fans still remember head coach Rob Evans, who took the Rebels to the NCAA in 1998, from thence came the famous Valparaiso clip you see every year around tournament time. Rod Barnes led Ole Miss to the NCAA Tournament in ‘99, ‘01 and ‘02. Those teams were led by players like Michael White, Keith Carter, Ansu Sesay and Anthony Boone, to name just a few. None were McDonald’s All-Americans, but all of them played with heart, played defense like their lives depended on it, and a few of them could shoot pretty well. Those teams proved NCAA Tournaments at Ole Miss are possible. Ole Miss currently has the longest NCAA Tournament drought in the Southeastern Conference. Chancellor Dan Jones recognizes the pressure to return to basketball prominence. Last July, Ole Miss responded to fan frustration with a seeming lack of commitment to winning championships with the Forward Together Campaign. Fundraising for a new $100 million state-of-the-art basketball facility is now well on its way. That kind of money doesn’t get raised without expectations. The stated goal of the Administration when it announced the Forward Together campaign is to win championships. Andy Kennedy surely knows what’s expected. His contract wasn’t extended following 2011’s 20-14 finish. The 7-9 conference record was qualified by outgoing athletic director Pete Boone as a disappointment, and Kennedy acknowledged that the Dance was and is all that really matters. But barring a miraculous recovery in most offensive categories, there probably won’t be an NCAA trip in 2012. While the plot is thickened by an ongoing search for Boone’s replacement at athletic director, it’s not unlikely that person will be in place by basketball season’s end. The Kennedy Conundrum may be the first decision with which the new man in charge is faced, and it won’t be an easy one. A conundrum by definition is “a confusing or difficult problem or question.” The decision on what to do with a coach who has two SEC West Championships and four 20-win seasons in six years but no trips to the NCAA Tournament will be a conundrum indeed. - MSM

sorry….Outfield Terrace with meat on the grill and beer…sorry… iced tea in the cooler, enjoying a spring Saturday at Dudy Noble when the Diamond Dawgs are crusing to victory. It’s one of the few experiences at Mississippi State that other schools try to emulate, that the national media knows is ours and gives us full credit for. As we see the other schools in the conference expand their stadiums, know that the time will come soon where Dudy Noble returns to its spot as the nation’s premier college baseball facility, and with it, the Bulldogs will return to take their place among the nation’s elite, this time not stopping until the season ends with that dogpile.

Jake Adams is the producer of Jake’s Ole Miss Blog (theolemissblog.com) and host of Jake’s Take on Rebel Sports Radio. In his spare time he practices law in Brandon, Mississippi. 56 | MISSISSIPPI SPORTS MAGAZINE

*I’d like to credit my friend Anthony Sherman for his input into this article, a true Diamond Dawg guru. Follow Brian on Twitter @brianhadad, and catch his weekly B & B (Brian and Bob Carskadon) Show online at bulldogsportsradio.com or download the free Bulldogs Sports Radio app for Iphone or Android.

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