University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Team Opens Practice On Monday
1/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 18, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Players, coaches and fans all are excited about the opening of spring practice, as well as the start of the 2007 season itself.
The Golden Eagles open practice on Monday, Jan. 22, at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field, and open the season on Fri., Feb. 16, at home, hosting the Coca-Cola Classic. The first week of practice will run from 2:15 - 5 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 a couple positions to fill in the lineup and with our pitching staff and a lot of work to do before our first game. The season will be here before you know it."
Southern Miss returns 18 letterwinners from last year's team (39-23), including five position starters (Michael Ewing - 1B, Trey Sutton - 2B, Brian Dozier- SS, Jody Blount - RF, Luke Adkins - LF) and two starting pitchers (Barry Bowden, David Clark). Fifteen redshirt freshmen and reserves from last year's team will try to break into the lineup and pitching rotation, along with 11 newcomers.
Leading the Golden Eagles into the 2007 season will be a group of veteran players, who have helped Southern Miss post a 125-63 (.665) record over the past three seasons. The Golden Eagles are hoping to build on last year's success which saw them finish with a 39-23 overall record and a school-record fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Regionals.
Blount (Sr., .294 BA, 8 2B, 10 HR, 47 RBIs), Dozier (So, .368, 8 2B, 3 HR, 11 SB, 39 RBIs), Michael Ewing (So., .313 BA, 15 2B, 8 HR, 41 RBIs) and Sutton (Jr., .375 BA, 14 2B, 4 HR, 32 RBIs) look to lead the Golden Eagles into the new season from the field and at the plate. Leading the team from the mound will be Belanger (Sr., 8-3, 3.82 ERA), Bowden (Jr., 3-2, 4.37 ERA), Mike Cashion (r-Jr., 4-1, 3.62 - 2005 stats) and Patrick Ezell (Sr., 1-3, 5.17 ERA).
For season ticket information for Golden Eagle baseball, call the Southern Miss Ticket Office at 1-800-844-TICK.
