University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Baseball Inks Final Recruit of Spring Signing Period
6/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Southern Miss Baseball Inks Final Recruit of Spring Signing Period
Hattiesburg, Miss. - Southern Miss Baseball Coach Corky Palmer has announced the signing of Adam Smith, a 6-3, 195-pound junior third baseman/first baseman from Meridian Community College in Meridian, Miss., to a national letter of intent for the 2002-03 academic year. This marks the seventh and final signee of the spring signing period and ninth signee of the year for the Golden Eagles.
"Adam gives us another experienced right-handed batter with good power," Palmer said. "He can play either third base or first base and will give us needed power from the right side to equalize left-handed pitching. He comes from a good junior college baseball program and will compete for a position right away. His brother, Jason, played for Scott and me at Meridian CC and now is in the majors with Tampa Bay."
As a sophomore for Coach Michael Federico at Meridian CC, he hit .342 with 11 homers, 13 doubles and drove in 45 runs. The team captain was named All-Mississippi-Louisiana Conference as well as a member of the All-Region 23 team.
Smith was a four-year letterwinner for Coach James Moody at Demopolis High School in Demopolis, Ala. He hit .462 with three homers and drove in 22 runs as a senior. He was selected the team's most valuable player and awarded for being a team captain and having the highest batting average. He was selected to play in the Alabama East/West All-Star Game and the Alabama State High School Athletic Association's North/South All-Star Game.
Southern Miss finished 36-22 during the 2002 season and returns six position starters, two starting pitchers and 18 letterwinners.
2002-03 Southern Miss Baseball Signees
Raymond Antonelli, LHP, 5-9, 160, Gulf Coast Community College, Panama City, Fla.
Bryan Bennett, 1B, 6-3, 210, Vidalia High School, Vidalia, La.
Daniel Best, RHP, 6-3, 165, Ruston High School, Ruston, La.
Eddie Burger, C, 6-1, 195, Long Beach High School, Long Beach, Miss.
Ryan Frith, OF, 6-3, 185, Bossier Community College, Bossier City, La.
Marc Maddox, OF/INF, 5-10, 170, Oak Grove High School, Oak Grove, Miss.
Adam Smith, 3B/1B, 6-3, 195, Meridian Community College, Meridian, Miss.
Austin Tubb, RHP, 6-4, 210, Shelton State JC, Birmingham, Ala.
Nicholas Valluzzo, LHP, 5-11, 190, Catholic High School, Baton Rouge, La.
