Tag Archives: junior college baseball

21 Feb

on the juco watch

Not to make too much about statistics from this early in the season, but there are a few worth mentioning from the state junior colleges. Itawamba Community College’s Tanner Poole has eight stolen bases, tied for the national lead in NJCAA Division II. Poole, a sophomore from Amory, is batting .455 with two home runs and 11 RBIs for the Indians, who are 5-1. T.J. Watson is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. … East Mississippi’s David Pimentel, a freshman from Tennessee, tops the nation in homers with three. … Jones County’s Daniel Goff, a former George County star who is 2-0 with a 1.50, was named the NJCAA D-II pitcher of the week on Thursday. He fanned 11 in a six-inning stint against Jefferson (Mo.) College on Wednesday. Tyler Schankin has hit two homers for the 11th-ranked Bobcats (7-1). … No. 2 Hinds, off to an 8-0 start, got a seven-inning no-hitter from Derek Martin of Flora on Wednesday against Bossier Parish (La.). Austin Sanders, from Madison, has a win and three saves for the Eagles, and Jonathan Washam is batting .500 with seven RBIs.

17 Feb

happy campers

Major league camps formally open this week. As usual, a host of Mississippi-connected players will be in Florida and Arizona, some aiming to build on big years, some attempting comebacks from down years or injuries, some just trying to make an impression and land a job. A few are in new places this year, some may be anticipating a move before opening day. Rest assured, all are happy to be in an MLB camp. Who wouldn’t be? Here’s the list:

40-man roster members
Position players
Chris Coghlan (Ole Miss), Chicago Cubs; Zack Cozart (Ole Miss), Cincinnati; Brian Dozier (Southern Miss), Minnesota; Corey Dickerson (Meridian CC), Colorado; Jarrod Dyson (Southwest CC), Kansas City; Ed Easley (Mississippi State), St. Louis; Billy Hamilton (Taylorsville), Cincinnati; Desmond Jennings (Itawamba CC), Tampa Bay; Tyler Moore (MSU), Washington; Mitch Moreland (MSU), Texas; Alex Presley (Ole Miss), Houston; Seth Smith (Ole Miss), Seattle

Pitchers
Aaron Barrett (Ole Miss), Washington; Louis Coleman (Schlater/Pillow Academy), Kansas City; David Goforth (Ole Miss), Milwaukee; Kendall Graveman (MSU), Oakland; T.J. House (Picayune High) Cleveland; Cliff Lee (Meridian CC), Philadelphia; Lance Lynn (Ole Miss), St. Louis; Jonathan Papelbon (MSU), Philadelphia; Drew Pomeranz (Ole Miss), Oakland; Tony Sipp (Gulf Coast CC), Houston

Non-roster invitees
Position players
Anthony Alford (Petal), Toronto; Tim Anderson (East Central CC), Chicago White Sox; Joey Butler (Gulf Coast CC), Tampa Bay; Hunter Renfroe (MSU), San Diego; Stuart Turner (Ole Miss), Minnesota; Alex Yarbrough (Ole Miss), Los Angeles Angels

Pitchers
Brent Leach (Delta State), Milwaukee; Jacob Lindgren (MSU), New York Yankees; Paul Maholm (MSU), Cincinnati; Cody Satterwhite (Ole Miss), New York Mets; Chris Stratton (MSU), San Francisco; Donnie Veal (Jackson), Atlanta

26 Jan

on the juco watch

Two players on Mississippi junior college rosters for this season batted over .420 in 2014. At least three reached the 10-homer plateau. Another stole 20 bases. There were several pitchers who posted an ERA under 3.00. There was a 9-game winner and a few who notched eight, including a certain right-hander who also had 10 saves. Those are some of the numbers that grab your eye from the NJCAA’s lists of top returning players in Division II Region 23. With the season fast approaching — most of the state jucos start on or about Feb. 7 — here are a few names (with numbers) to watch for from the MACJC: Trent Turner (Northeast Mississippi Community College), .423, eight homers, 50 RBIs; James Land (Gulf Coast), .422, 10 homers; Chase Hensley (Jones County JC), .373 and 8-1, 2.60 ERA; Marshall Boggs (Hinds), .366; Dalton Thomas (Meridian), .349, seven homers; Chad McNeil (Holmes), .341, 20 steals; Will Simon (Jones), 2.59 ERA; Goose Yates (Meridian), 6-2, 2.73; J’Daylin Jackson (East Mississippi), 8-1, 3.77; Austin Sanders (Hinds), 8-2, 2.95, 10 saves; Randy Bell (Hinds), 9-4; Brady Badon (Southwest), 3.18, seven saves.

24 Dec

no. 2 with a bullet

Hinds Community College will start the 2015 season where it finished 2014 – and that’s not a bad place to be. The Eagles, who finished runner-up in the NJCAA Division II World Series last season, are ranked No. 2 in the Collegiate Baseball preseason poll. No. 1 is Mesa (Ariz.), the team that beat Hinds in the title game. The Eagles have 11 NCAA Division I signees on their roster. They return the top five hitters from 2014, led by Luke Reynolds (.376), Marshall Boggs (.366) and Quade Smith (.331). Also back are home run leaders Chase Lunceford and Matt Jones, who blasted 10 apiece. Austin Sanders (8-2, 10 saves) returns on the mound, along with Randy Bell (9-4) and Casey Sutton (8-3). “We should be good. We should at least get back to the World Series,” Lunceford said in an interview last summer. “I know that’s tough to do, but we’ll have high expectations.” Hinds certainly is a team to watch, and the watch will start on Feb. 7, when the Eagles open against Mineral Area (Mo.) at Moss Field in Raymond. … East Mississippi was No. 18 in the preseason poll and Northwest checked in at No. 20.

30 Jul

in transition

The search is on for a new coach at Southwest Mississippi Community College, where Lee Kuyrkendall resigned earlier this week after six seasons in Summit. One has to wonder if Kuyrkendall’s top assistant during his tenure, Ken Jackson, might be a logical candidate to replace him. Jackson is, like Kuyrkendall, a former Bears player and had a good track record as head coach at Parklane Academy. Southwest, which produced current Kansas City Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson, went 15-27 overall in 2014 and was 9-15 in the MACJC South Division, missing the postseason. Kuyrkendall previously coached at Mississippi College.

28 May

standing tall

It’s getting very interesting for Hinds Community College in the NJCAA Division II World Series. Only two unbeatens remain in the double-elimination tournament – and the Eagles are one of them. Half of the original 10-team field has been sent home, and another will be eliminated in today’s first game at Enid, Okla., when Mercer County (N.J.) plays Pasco-Hernando (Fla.). Hinds (38-19 overall, 3-0 in Enid) meets fellow unbeaten Madison (Wis.) in the second game. Hinds beat Pasco-Hernando 9-4 on Tuesday behind the brilliant pitching of freshman Houston Case (five-hit complete game) and homers from Matt Jones (his 10th) and Marshall Boggs. Madison, which has played only two games, had Tuesday off. The Wolfpack is 44-15. Keith Browning leads the hitters with a .372 average and 42 RBIs. The pitching staff has a 2.84 ERA for the season and has yielded just three runs in the tournament. For what it’s worth, Madison also has a lot of impressive history: eight juco World Series appearances and three national titles (the last in 1997). The Wolfpack finished third last year. Win or lose tonight, Hinds will play again on Thursday. Mesa (Ariz.) will play the Hinds-Madison winner.

26 May

next up for hinds

The skinny on Hinds Community College’s next opponent: Vincennes (Ind.) University’s Trailblazers can hit and they can run. Hinds gets back on the field today in a winner’s bracket game in the NJCAA Division II World Series at Enid, Okla. Vincennes, which knocked off No. 1 Mesa CC 9-4 in its opener on Saturday, features four regulars who are batting .398 or better, and the team has 30 triples and 117 stolen bases in 59 games. The Trailblazers (43-16) are making their second juco World Series visit. Their leading hitter is Lance Myers at .416, but the best all-around offensive player might be Robbie Doring (.406, five homers, 54 RBIs, 80 runs, seven triples and 24 steals). Hinds (36-19), playing in its fifth juco World Series, won its opener 14-11 over Lincoln Land CC, powered by Quade Smith (3-for-3, three walks, four runs, two RBIs) and Luke Reynolds (four RBIs). At .399, Reynolds is the Eagles’ top hitter.

21 May

bring ’em on

Hinds Community College’s first-round foe in the NJCAA Division II World Series will be Lincoln Land CC of Illinois. The Loggers are 44-15 and ranked 11th in the nation. Forgive the Eagles if they shrugged at those numbers. After all, Hinds had to get through the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the nation just to get to the 10-team national tournament, which begins Saturday in Enid, Okla. Hinds (35-19) beat top-ranked Jones County JC in the Region 23 title game at Ellisville last Saturday. Sam Temple’s Eagles, who also beat No. 2 LSU-Eunice (twice) in the regional, are in the Juco World Series for the fifth time but for the first time since 1999. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Hinds’ first World Series trip (see previous post). Casey Sutton, who beat Jones in the region finale to move to 8-2 for the year, is the Eagles’ likely starter in the opener. Austin Sanders notched his eighth save in the title game, and the Eagles got big hits from Casey Echols (son of former Mississippi State star Tracy Echols), Luke Reynolds and Caleb Upton.

27 Apr

juco postseason glance

The junior college postseason qualifiers appear to be set. The unofficial matchups: Holmes at Jones County; Northwest at Hinds; East Central at East Mississippi; and Pearl River at Northeast. JCJC, ranked No. 1 in NJCAA Division II, won the South Division and East Mississippi, ranked seventh, won the North (for the first time since 1998). The best-of-3 series begin Friday. The four winners move on to the double-elimination state tournament May 8-10 at a site to be determined.

25 Apr

juco madness

Division titles — and more — will be determined on Saturday as the MACJC regular season concludes. East Mississippi Community College, ranked seventh in NJCAA Division II, hosts Northeast in a doubleheader showdown for the North crown. The Lions are 17-5, the Tigers 16-6. No. 1-ranked Jones County JC (17-5) will try to wrap up the South championship when it visits last-place Copiah-Lincoln (7-13). Hinds is 16-6, a game back of JCJC, heading into a twinbill against visiting East Central (9-13). Mississippi Gulf Coast, behind James Land’s monster day (8-for-9, two homers, six RBIs), split with Jones on Wednesday to stay in contention for a playoff berth in the South. Gulf Coast is 9-13 with Pearl River (11-11) coming to Perkinston on Saturday. Elsewhere, Holmes (10-12 North) hosts Coahoma (0-22) and Northwest (14-8 North) hosts Itawamba (9-13). Southwest (9-15 South) and Delta (12-12 North) have finished division play. The juco postseason is a long and winding road. The top four teams in each division begin the postseason on May 2-3 with a best-of-3 series (North 1 hosts South 4, etc.). The four series winners advance to the state tournament (May 8-10). The NJCAA Region 23 Tournament is May 15-18. The winner there goes to the D-II World Series.