Author Archives: Mike Christensen

12 May

smalls world

Seeking a third straight trip to the NAIA World Series, William Carey University takes on Indiana Southeast today at Wheeler Field in Hattiesburg. British Columbia plays Oklahoma Wesleyan in the other Opening Round game in this four-team, double-elimination regional. The Crusaders, who won the regular season title in the SSAC, are 38-12 and ranked 10th in the nation. Carey won an NAIA national title in 1969. It’s a busy week for Mississippi’s small schools: Delta State and Mississippi College each received at-large bids to the NCAA Division II Tournament; Millsaps and Belhaven made the NCAA D-III field as at-large teams; and Pearl River Community College and East Central CC will face off in a best-of-3 series for the NJCAA D-II Region 23 championship. … Delta State (32-18), regular season champion in the Gulf South, will play West Florida on Thursday at Lakeland, Fla., in a four-team bracket in the South Region. MC (33-21), which last made the NCAA field in 2018, is in the other South Region bracket at Tampa, Fla., and will play Lynn on Thursday. Tampa is the No. 1 seed in the region, MC No. 4 and DSU No. 6. … Millsaps (29-13), regular season champ in the Southern Athletic Association, heads for the East Texas Baptist Regional at Marshall, Texas, to play the host school in the first round. Belhaven (31-13) plays Rhodes in the Webster (Mo.) Regional. Only 23 at-large bids are awarded in the 64-team D-III Tournament. … On Wednesday at Poplarville, juco juggernauts Pearl River, ranked No. 2, and East Central, ranked seventh, will clash for a trip to the NJCAA World Series in Enid, Okla. PRCC, regular season champ in the MACCC, is 48-7, and ECCC is 41-12. Both have been ranked No. 1 in the country this season. ECCC went to the World Series in 2023 and ’24. PRCC won the national title in 2022. They split their regular season meeting this spring. P.S. It already has been a banner year for the state’s small schools. Along with the three conference titles, three coaches won coach of the year awards: Bobby Halford at Carey, Rodney Batts at DSU and Jim Page at Millsaps. Carey’s Josh Alexander was named the SSAC player of the year; DSU’s Drake Fontenot won GSC pitcher of the year honors; and Millsaps’ Bradley Pelle (player) and Nick Tarantino (pitcher) swept the SAA’s top awards. In addition, MC had four GSC first-team picks, and Belhaven had four named in the Collegiate Conference of the South. Carey had three All-SSAC picks in addition to Alexander, and DSU’s Brett Burrell made All-GSC along with Fontenot.

11 May

a special day

Not much beats belting a home run for your first major league hit. Unless it’s doing it on Mother’s Day, with your mom in the stadium. Against a former Cy Young Award winner. To win the game. The legend of Tim Elko grew a little larger Sunday when the ex-Ole Miss star, in his second game with the Chicago White Sox, hit a three-run homer off Miami’s Sandy Alcantara. The sixth-inning shot, a 381-footer with the traditional pink bat, put the White Sox ahead and they held on for a 4-2 win at Rate Field. Homers are kind of a thing for Elko, who hit 46 at Ole Miss –including some huge ones during the Rebels’ 2022 run to the national title — and another 61 in the minors before his Saturday call-up. Power is something the lowly ChiSox have been sorely lacking. … Former Mississippi State star Nathaniel Lowe also homered with the pink bat Sunday, his seventh of the season accounting for Washington’s only run in a 6-1 loss to St. Louis. … Mississippi natives Fred Lewis and Bill Hall hit two of MLB’s most famous Mother’s Day homers. Lewis, a Stone County High and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College alum, hit for the cycle on Mother’s Day 2007. He was making just his fourth career start when he went 5-for-6 for San Francisco that day; the homer was the first of his career. Nettleton’s Hall became a Brewers legend on May 14, 2006, when he hit a walk-off homer in the 10th inning to beat the New York Mets at Miller Park. With his mother in the stands, Hall swung the special pink bat in the first year that those were used in MLB. Hall’s blast came against Chad Bradford, the former Hinds Community College and Southern Miss standout who allowed only that one homer all season.

11 May

show time — at last

Seven years after he was drafted in the first round by Colorado, former Ole Miss star Ryan Rolison has been summoned to the big leagues. The 27-year-old lefty is 3-1 with a 3.72 ERA at Triple-A Albuquerque, working mostly out of the bullpen. Having battled injuries much of his pro career, the 6-foot-2 Rolison has 4.50 career ERA in 95 games covering 308 1/3 innings with 310 strikeouts. The Tennessee native won 16 games in his two years at Ole Miss. The Rockies, off to a 6-33 start, appear fairly desperate for pitching help. They surrendered 21 runs to San Diego on Saturday at Coors Field and have an MLB-worst 5.89 ERA entering play today. … Rolison is the fourth Ole Miss alum to get a big league call this season, following Doug Nikhazy, Gunnar Hoglund and Tim Elko.

11 May

three stars

Ryan McPherson: The Mississippi State freshman right-hander entered Saturday’s game in the ninth inning with the tying and go-ahead runs on base, got a double-play ball and another ground-ball out to preserve the Bulldogs’ 6-5 win over Ole Miss in the rubber game of the series in Starkville. It was the second save of the season for McPherson. State (31-20, 12-15 SEC) improved to 6-1 under interim coach Justin Parker. Nationally ranked Ole Miss is 34-17, 14-13.
Drey Barrett: The Southern Miss freshman third baseman doubled, tripled and drove in four runs as the Golden Eagles won their 11th straight game, whipping Louisiana-Lafayette 15-5 in Hattiesburg. Barrett is hitting .261 with 27 RBIs on the season for USM (37-13, 20-6 Sun Belt)
Jacob Keys: The Pearl River Community College sophomore catcher, from Brandon via USM, hit a grand slam and knocked in five runs all told as the Wildcats (48-7) routed Northeast 17-2 in the Poplarville bracket and advanced to the NJCAA Division II Region 23 Championship Series against East Central.
Worth noting: Ole Miss product Tim Elko became the fifth Mississippian (native or school alum) to debut in the big leagues this season. The Chicago White Sox broadcasting crew sung the praises of Elko’s storybook career in Oxford, interviewed his parents in the Rate Field seats and played a video clip of his Triple-A manager, a very emotional Sergio Santos, informing Elko of his call-up. He played first base and went 0-for-3 in a 3-1 loss to Miami. … Ex-State standout Brent Rooker hit his 10th homer of the year — 89th career — as the A’s took down the New York Yankees 11-7. … Jurrangelo Cijntje, the switch-pitcher out of MSU, won his second straight start for High-Class A Everett (Seattle system), allowing one run in five innings vs. Tri-City. … Former Mississippi Braves star C.J. Alexander hit for the cycle, including his eighth homer, for Triple-A Las Vegas (A’s system). … Rhodes was declared the Southern Athletic Association Tournament champion as rain washed out Saturday’s schedule at Millsaps’ Twenty Field. Rhodes went 2-0 with wins over Millsaps and Centre, who were set to play a losers bracket game. Millsaps, SAA regular season champion, is hopeful of an NCAA Division III regional bid.

10 May

not to be overlooked

The three-homer game by Jasson Dominguez — the rookie outfielder they call “The Martian” — deserved the spotlight, but don’t overlook what the rookie right-hander out of Jackson Prep did for the New York Yankees on Friday. Will Warren had a career night in his 14th MLB game, throwing 7 1/3 innings in a 10-2 win over the A’s at West Sacramento, Calif. Warren, now 2-2 with a 4.75 ERA in eight starts this season, retired the first 10 batters before yielding a walk and a hit — by Mississippi State alum Brent Rooker — in the fourth inning. He allowed just three more hits and a lone run while striking out seven. “It’s just executing every pitch, and tonight we did that,” the 25-year-old Warren said in a postgame TV interview. Warren, drafted out of Southeastern Louisiana in 2021, wasn’t even assured of a role on the Yankees’ staff back in spring training. But injuries opened up spots in the rotation, and Warren grabbed one. It hasn’t been smooth sailing: In four of his eight starts he has lasted less than five innings. But Friday’s outing against a tough lineup was certainly encouraging. “I thought he had a lot of weapons,” Yanks manager Aaron Boone said in a TV interview. “He was really good, man. … I feel like the last few times I’ve really seen the electricity with his stuff.” P.S. Down on the farm, former Jackson Prep star Konnor Griffin went 4-for-4 with a home run for Low-Class A Bradenton. Pittsburgh’s No. 2-rated prospect — the ninth overall pick in the 2024 draft — is batting .283 with six homers, 17 RBIs and 12 steals in 27 games.

10 May

sock for sox?

After wearing out Triple-A pitching for over a month, Tim Elko is getting an opportunity in the big leagues. The Chicago White Sox reportedly will call up the former Ole Miss standout prior to Saturday’s game against Miami at Rate Field. Elko was hitting .348 with 10 homers at Charlotte. The 26-year-old first baseman/DH carries a .293 career average with 61 homers in 325 minor league games since the ChiSox drafted him in the 10th round in 2022. He hit 46 homers at Ole Miss over his five seasons, capping his career with a College World Series championship. The White Sox, coming off an awful 2024 season (40-121, worst in the modern era), are again at the bottom of the American League at 10-28; they are 29th in MLB in hitting, 28th in scoring and tied for 27th in home runs. Their hitting coach is Louisville native and ex-big leaguer Marcus Thames, who is not to blame for the lack of talent on the roster.

09 May

merry old month of may

If Colt Keith was suffering from a sophomore slump in April, it seems he has pulled out of it in May. Ex-Biloxi High standout Keith went 2-for-5 with a 450-foot home run on Thursday in Detroit’s 11-6 win at Colorado, the second game of a twinbill. At April’s end, Keith, 23, was batting .181 with a lone homer and five RBIs. He is 7-for-21 with three homers and six RBIs in May, helping the Tigers climb to 25-13, matching the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the big leagues. His average has risen to .215. “The clubhouse is great, we’re on the field picking each other up,” Keith said in an mlb.com piece. “We’re making plays, doing the things we need to do to win.” Mississippi’s 2019 Gatorade player of the year, Keith got a big contract (six years, $28.6 million plus options) before his rookie season even began, then hit .260 with 13 homers and 61 RBIs as the Tigers made a late drive into the postseason. Asked to move from second base to first this season, lefty-hitting Keith has wound up playing mostly at second again, accommodating Spencer Torkelson’s resurgence at first. Keith’s turnaround at the plate might have been predictable. He batted .163 in April last year, .342 in May. … Meanwhile, Kansas City has stayed on the Tigers’ heels in the American League Central but without much help from veteran Hunter Renfroe. The Royals routed the Chicago White Sox 10-0 Thursday to improve to 23-16 with a sixth straight win. Former Mississippi State star Renfroe went 0-for-4 and is in a 1-for-17 funk that has sunk his average to .152. Entering this season, the 33-year-old outfielder had 192 career homers. He has yet to hit one in 2025 and has just four RBIs. Renfroe is making $7.5M this season, but his roster spot still might be in jeopardy.

09 May

here and there

Announcing their presence with authority, as the line goes, the Mississippi Mud Monsters opened their inaugural season Thursday night with a 13-2 beatdown of Florence at Trustmark Park. An announced crowd of 4,552 saw the new Frontier League club blow the game open in a seven-run sixth inning, aided by some shoddy defense from the visiting Y’alls. Brayland Skinner, Mississippi State alum from Lake Cormorant, had two hits and scored two runs and Travis Holt went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the Mud-sters’ 16-hit attack. Starting pitcher James Boeree, the 7-foot-2 Aussie, threw four hitless (with four walks) innings before yielding to four relievers. Game 2 of the season is tonight in Pearl. … At Twenty Field in Jackson, top-seeded Millsaps College won its SAA Tournament opener 5-2 against Berry and will play Rhodes today in the winners bracket. Bradley Pelle homered to back the excellent pitching of Nick Tarantino, who notched his 10th win. … In Decatur, East Central Community College won its NJCAA Region 23 bracket, whipping Copiah-Lincoln CC 10-0 as Chris Bilingsley threw a one-hitter and Brady McAbee drove in four runs. At Poplarville, Pearl River, riding homers from Jackson Hood and Carlton Thompson, beat Mississippi Gulf Coast 10-1 to advance in the winners bracket. The host Wildcats will play the winner of today’s Gulf Coast-Northeast game for the sub-regional title. PRCC is ranked No. 2 in NJCAA Division II, East Central No. 7. The winners of the two brackets will play a best-of-3 for the region championship. … The five finalists for the Ferriss Trophy have been named: Southern Miss’ Nick Monistere and J.B. Middleton, Ole Miss’ Luke Hill, Mississippi State’s Ace Reese and Delta State’s Drake Fontenot. The winner of the award for the state’s best college player will be announced May 19. … The MHSAA playoffs are finally down to the final 28. Four teams in each of the seven classes. In Class 7A, the North championship will be settled between Madison Central and Tupelo, the South between Brandon and Oak Grove. Oak Grove is ranked No. 2 in the state, per MaxPreps, behind MAIS member Magnolia Heights. The MHSAA state finals begin May 19 at Pearl’s Trustmark Park. The 6A semifinals match Saltillo and Warren Central, Pearl River Central and George County. In 4A, there’s an intriguing matchup in the South between No. 3 Purvis and No. 4 Sumrall. Purvis features the Parker twins, JoJo and Jacob, both pro prospects. Sumrall counters with Landon Hawkins and Leo Odom. No. 7 West Lauderdale is in the 4A North finals. In 2A, fifth-ranked East Union and ace Landon Harmon meet Hamilton for the North title. … Condolences go out to Ripley High and the family and friends of Joel Gafford, who recently passed away at age 40. He won over 250 games in 15 years at Ripley and took the team to the state finals last year. … On Thursday, Jackson native and former big league star Chet Lemon died at age 70. Lemon was a three-time All-Star and a World Series champion during his 16-year career. Regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders of his era (1975-90), Lemon’s career WAR of 55.6 is the best among all Mississippi natives in the big leagues. Roy Oswalt is second with a 50.0 WAR.

08 May

big reveal

After directing 13 workouts with a group of players of varying levels of experience pulled from widely diverse backgrounds, Mississippi Mud Monsters manager Jay Pecci will pull back the curtain tonight and unveil the new pro team taking up residence at Trustmark Park in Pearl. “Spring training has been good,” Pecci said Wednesday night. “We got our pitching work in, that’s a key. The team looks great … on paper, at least. You’re never sure how it’ll pan out.” The Mud Monsters, an expansion team in the independent Frontier League, make their debut tonight (6:30) against the Florence (Ky.) Y’alls. On paper, the Mud Monsters have a leadoff batter — ex-Mississippi State standout Brayland Skinner — who batted .298 and stole 41 bases in the indy Pioneer League last year. On paper, in the middle of their batting order, they have a six-year minor league veteran with a career .303 average — Florence native Davis Bradshaw — and a 10-year pro vet who belted 17 homers in this league two years ago — former Columbia High star Ti’Quan Forbes. “We’ve got some power, some veteran experience,” Pecci said. “We have some guys who can go gap-to-gap, and I think we run well as a team. We had a lot of stolen bases in camp. Guys were eager to run.” Both Bradshaw and Forbes passed through Trustmark, which plays as a pitcher’s park, when they were in Double-A. “You have to be a true hitter to put up numbers here,” Pecci said. He marvels at Bradshaw’s plate discipline and ability to make contact. The manager said he is impressed as much with Forbes’ presence as he is with his skills: “He’s excited to be here, he wants to play everyday and he’s a good guy in the clubhouse. The kids gravitate toward him.” Forbes, 28, a late addition to the roster, was a second-round MLB draft pick back in 2014 and reached the Triple-A level in affiliated ball. Tonight’s starting pitcher, James Boeree, might be more impressive on the field than he is on paper. The Australia native, 25 but light on experience, lists at 7 feet 2. And reportedly throws in the mid-90s. “He has looked really good,” Pecci said. “He started an exhibition game for us and pitched well. He was built up when he came in to camp, all in on baseball. He has those long levers, but he has good body mechanics.” Pecci is also high on his primary catchers, Victor Diaz and Andriel Lantigua, both Dominicans with experience in affiliated ball. Diaz played in the Houston organization, Lantigua in the New York Mets system when Pecci was on their minor league staff. For his part, Pecci brings plenty of experience to his job. He coached and managed in the Mets’ chain for the past several seasons. An infielder at Stanford, he was drafted by Oakland in the 11th round in 1998 and played seven years in affiliated ball, then eight more in independent and foreign leagues.

08 May

in the spotlight

Millsaps College, regular season champion of the Southern Athletic Association, hosts the league tournament beginning today at Twenty Field in Jackson. The Majors (28-12) play Berry at 1 p.m., followed by Centre vs. Rhodes at 5. It is a double-elimination format. The Majors went 3-0 against Berry this season, 2-1 vs. Centre and 1-2 vs. longtime rival Rhodes. Millsaps, 18-6 at home in 2025, last won the SAA Tournament 12 years ago, also advancing to the NCAA Division III World Series that year. Under coach Jim Page, who has 800-plus wins in 36 seasons, the Majors have been to eight D-III regionals all told. Gray Berry leads Millsaps in hitting with a .418 average. Bradley Pelle is at .394 with 13 homers and 56 RBIs. The Majors led the SAA in home runs. Nick Tarantino is the staff ace, going 9-1 with a 3.03 ERA. P.S. Braden Montgomery, the Madison Central High product now in the Chicago White Sox system, hit a three-run walk-off homer Wednesday for Winston-Salem, beating Bowling Green 7-6. Montgomery, who hit two homers on Tuesday, is batting .367 with three bombs and nine RBIs in eight games at the High-Class A level. … In MLB on Wednesday, Boston’s Aroldis Chapman threw a 103.8 mph pitch — fastest in MLB this season — and ex-Mississippi College star Blaine Crim fouled it off. Crim, still seeking his first hit since his call-up by Texas last week, struck out on the next pitch, a 95 mph splitter, to end the game, a 6-4 Red Sox win.