University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Receives Votes In National Preseason Polls
1/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Baseball Receives Votes In National Preseason Polls HATTIESBURG, Miss. ?
The Golden Eagles were ranked 29th by Baseball America, No. 31 by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association, No. 33 by the USA Today/Coaches Poll and No. 37 by Collegiate Baseball. Tulane is the only Conference USA school ranked in the top 25. The Green Wave is ranked No. 10 by Baseball America and the NCBWA, No. 12 by the USA Today/Coaches Poll and No. 13 by Collegiate Baseball. Houston and East Carolina are receiving votes in the polls. The Cougars are ranked No. 27 by Baseball America and No. 34 by the USA Today/Coaches Poll and the Pirates are No. 43 by Baseball America. Southern Miss returns 17 letterwinners from last year's team, including six position starters (Marc Maddox - 1B, Jarrett Hoffpauir - 2B, Matt Shepherd - SS, Beau Griffin - 3B, Brad Willcutt - C, Jason Lowery - LF), two starting pitchers (Anthony DeWitt, Cliff Russum) and the entire bullpen (John Nicholas, Ray Antonelli, Austin Tubb, Noah Tritz, Daniel Best). Seven redshirt freshman and reserves from last year's team will try to break into the lineup, along with 13 newcomers. Leading the Golden Eagles into the 2004 season will be preseason All-American redshirt junior catcher Brad Willcutt (.325, 20 2b, 12 HR, 61 RBIs), junior second baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir (.307, 13 2b, 10 HR, 53 RBIs), junior shortstop Matt Shepherd (.296, 10 2b, 4 3b, 3 HR, 32 RBIs), junior third baseman Beau Griffin (.253, 4 2B, 1 HR, 20 RBIs), sophomore first baseman Marc Maddox (.336, 12 2b, 5 HR, 23 RBIs) and junior outfielder Jason Lowery (.322, 11 2B, 2 HR, 28 RBIs). The pitching staff will be led by senior starter Anthony DeWitt (8-2, 3.31 ERA, 89.2IP, 50K, 19 BB), senior All-American closer Austin Tubb (3-2, 1.45 ERA, 31 IP, 30K, 9 BB, .196 Opponents BA), senior reliever Ray Antonelli (4-0, 2.14 ERA, 59IP, 60K, 23 BB, .201 Opponents BA), junior starter Cliff Russum (8-5, 3.31 ERA, 87IP, 50K, 19BB, .192 Opponent's BA) and junior reliever John Nicholas (4-1, 2.45 ERA, 33 IP, 23K, 12BB). Southern Miss officially begins practice on January 26 and then will open the season on Fri., Feb. 20, against Northwestern (La.) State at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field at 3 p.m. For season ticket information for Golden Eagle baseball, call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at 1-800-844-TICK.
