University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Announces Two More Baseball Signees
4/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 21, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss Head Baseball Coach Corky Palmer has announced the signing of Jared Cavanaugh, a 6-2, 155-pound right-hand pitcher from Newton County High School in Meridian, Miss., and J.R. Ballinger, a 6-1, 180-pound right-handed pitcher from East Central High School in Moss Point, Miss., to a letter of intent and grant-in-aid for the 2005-06 academic year.
"Jared and J.R. both will have an opportunity to come in and compete for playing time right away," Palmer said. "They are both good athletes and are very competitive on the mound. Jared has a solid fastball and an above average curve ball, and J.R. also has a good fastball but has an above average change-up."
This marks the second and third signees of the spring signing period and seventh and eighth signees overall for the Southern Miss Baseball program this year.
Cavanaugh is a two-time All-District 5-3A honoree, a three-time Mississippi High School Athletic Association all-star participant and was named to the all-state team last year. As a senior, he is 10-0 with a 0.70 ERA in 50 innings pitched. He has struck out 80 and walked 21. Last season as a junior, he was 10-2 with a 1.31 ERA in 80 innings pitched. He struck out 121 batters, posted three saves and had 35 walks.
Ballinger, a two-time all-district selection, has a 22-8 pitching record and hit .375 during his four-year career. He was selected as Newton County's Pitcher of the Year in 2005 and 2006, was selected to participate in the Futures All-Star game in 2005 and has been named to the south team for the 2006 Crossroads Diamond Club All-Star game.
Southern Miss' other signees include Houston Brown (LHP, 6-0, 180, Evangelical Christian HS/Memphis, Tenn.), Tim Foster (1B/3B, 6-3, 200, Adams County Christian, Natchez, Miss.), Garrett Harris (RHP, 6-0, 175, New Hope HS, Columbus, Miss.), Chance Harst (C, 5-11, 185, St. Thomas More HS, Lafayette, La.); Jordan King (3B/RHP, 6-0, 180, NW Rankin HS, Brandon, Miss.) and Todd McInnis (RHP, 6-1, 160, NW Rankin HS, Brandon, Miss.).
Southern Miss, ranked as high as No. 24 in the nation, is currently 27-12 overall and 5-4 in Conference USA. The Golden Eagles travel to Houston, Texas, for a Conference USA weekend series at league-leading Rice. Friday's game starts at 7 p.m., Saturday's at 2 p.m., and Sunday's at 1 p.m.
