the sound of thunder

The power is still on around the state. In Tuesday’s bash-fest at Cleveland, Josh Gordon hit a grand slam to fuel Delta State’s 18-11 win over Belhaven, which got two homers, including a slam, from Timmy Foster. At Smith-Wills Stadium, Jones County Junior College used a grand slam by Nick Ray as part of a 6-5, 12-inning, 3 hour and 48 minute win over Mississippi Gulf Coast. There were six homers in Millsaps’ 19-8 Maloney Trophy victory over Mississippi College. Alas, there were no slams; the best anyone could muster was a three-run shot by the Majors’ Will Hawkins. Hinds CC got a home run from Zach Polzin, the big bopper out of Northwest Rankin, in a sweep of Copiah-Lincoln that extended the Eagles’ win streak to seven games. … And on the subject of noteworthy homers, former Mississippi Brave Clint Sammons took New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia deep in a spring training game in Florida on Tuesday.
P.S. Word out of Florida is that Van Pope, the former Terry High and Meridian CC slugger, has been converted to pitcher. Pope, formerly a third baseman with a cannon for an arm, was once a Top 10 prospect in Atlanta’s system but just couldn’t hit enough to make the majors. He stalled out in Triple-A last summer. Pope was a standout on the mound in high school and at MCC, so there is reason to believe he can make the adjustment.