University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Inks Two Baseball Recruits In Spring Signing Period
4/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Southern Miss Inks Two Baseball Recruits In Spring Signing Period
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss Baseball Coach Corky Palmer has announced the signing of Daniel Best, a 6-3, 165-pound, right-handed pitcher, from Ruston High School in Ruston, La., and Nicholas Valluzzo, a 5-11, 190-pound left-handed pitcher, from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, La., to a letter of intent for the 2002-03 academic year. This marks the third and fourth signees of the year for the Golden Eagles.
"Daniel is very polished for a high school pitcher," Palmer said. "He throws three pitches for strikes, fastball, curve and changeup and locates them well. He has a chance to be a good pitcher and help us right away. He has a very thorough knowledge of the game and that, hopefully, will bode well for him as a collegiate pitcher."
Best, who plays for Coach Tim O'Neal at Ruston High School, is currently 5-2 with a 1.53 ERA in 36.2 innings of work. He has given up 25 hits, 11 walks and has struck out 42 batters.
In 2001, Best was 5-1 with a 2.45 ERA in 51.1 innings on the mound. He gave up 40 hits, 13 walks and struck out 44.
"Valluzzo is a hard-throwing lefty that has a chance to come in and help us," Palmer said. "We will work with him and help him develop his pitches so he can give us immediate help from the left side. In college baseball, it is important to have depth on both the right and left side in order to be an effective pitching staff."
Valluzzo, a three-year letterwinner for Coach Gerry Garidel at Catholic High, is currently 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA in 37 innings pitched. He has earned a save, struck out 52 batters and opponents are hitting only .229 against him. As a hitter, he is batting .361.
During the summer of 2001, as a member of McMarkin Financial summer team, he posted a 4-1 record with an 1.81 ERA in 39 innings pitched. He earned a save, struck out 25 batters and opponents batted .169 against him. As a hitter, he batted .338.
He helped lead Catholic High to two 5-5A district championships in 2000 and 2001. He also helped lead McMarkin Financial to the American Legion "A" Central Region Championship last summer.
Valluzzo is a two-year member of the student council and serves as a student minister at Catholic High School.
