University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Team Opens Practice On Monday
1/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Baseball Team Opens Practice On Monday
HATTIESBURG, Miss. ? Players, coaches and fans all are excited about the opening of spring practice, as well as the start of the 2005 season itself.
The Golden Eagles open practice on Monday, Jan. 24, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field, and open the season on Fri., Feb. 18, at home against Marshall at 3 p.m. The first week of practice will run from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. each day at "The Pete" and will be open to the public.
"We are excited about the start of practice next week," Head Coach Corky Palmer said. "The players worked hard during the conditioning period and now everyone is ready to get started. We have several positions to fill in the lineup and with our pitching staff and a lot of work to do before our first game.
"The program has enjoyed a lot of success over the past few years but in order for us to take it to the level we all want, we have to consistently compete for Conference USA championships and earn bids to the NCAA Regionals."
Southern Miss returns 12 letterwinners from last year's team (45-19), including four position starters (Marc Maddox - 1B, Beau Griffin - 3B, Brad Willcutt - C, Jason Lowery - CF) and two starting pitchers (Patrick Ezell, Cliff Russum). Ten redshirt freshmen and reserves from last year's team will try to break into the lineup and pitching rotation, along with 16 newcomers.
Leading the Golden Eagles into the 2005 season will be a group of five seniors, who have helped Southern Miss post a 128-57 (.692) record over the past three seasons. The Golden Eagles are hoping to build on last year's success which saw them finish its second-straight 40+ win season and second-straight trip to the NCAA Regionals.
The seniors, Lowery (OF, .298, 13 doubles, 5 3b, 10 HR, 51 RBI), Griffin (3B, .297, 11 2b, 3 HR, 29 RBI), Willcutt (C, .291, 14 2b, 9 HR, 40 RBI), Russum (RHP, 6-4, 3.93 ERA, 67K) and Nicholas (RHP, 1-1, 4.25, 20K) will be counted on for production and leadership to this year's squad.
Also looking to make an impact once again is first baseman Marc Maddox, starting pitcher Patrick Ezell and pitcher Mike Cashion. A preseason All-Conference USA selection, Maddox hit .317 with 11 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and drove in 60 runs. The junior walked 30 times and finished with 147 total bases for a .555 slugging percentage. He also had .991 fielding percentage only committing five errors in 584 chances.
Ezell, a preseason All-American selection and the preseason Conference USA Pitcher of the Year, returns after posting a 6-2 record and a team-low 3.57 ERA among the starters. The 2004 freshman All-American struck out 73 batters and walked only 14 in 90.2 innings pitched. Cashion finished with a 3-4 record and a 4.37 ERA last season as a freshman, striking out 46 and walking 20. Opponent hitters finished with a .237 batting average against him.
For season ticket information for Golden Eagle baseball, call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at 1-800-844-TICK.
