Baseball Adds Two Junior College Players For 2009
11/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 15, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss baseball coach Corky Palmer announced the signing of two junior college players, Scott Copeland (White Oak, Texas) and Taylor Walker (Senatobia, Miss.), to letters of intent and grants in aid for the 2008-09 academic year.
Copeland, a 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher, posted a 4-5 record over 43 2/3 innings to go along with a 3.71 earned run average last spring for Panola College in Carthage, Texas, for coach Don Clinton.
As a prep player, Copeland was a four-year starter at White Oak High School, where he earned all-district honors twice, was an All-East Texas selection as a senior and part of a Bi-District Championship team. Additionally, he lettered three years in football - earning all-district as a wide receiver both his junior and senior campaigns - and set a school record in track in the triple jump.
"With graduation and possible losses in the draft, we are looking for him to earn his way into the rotation next year," Palmer said. "He is that kind of guy. He throws 90-91, has a good breaking ball and a big kid. Hopefully, we filled a need for the weekend for next season."
Walker, a 5-foot-10 middle infielder who plays for former Golden Eagle Mark Carson at Northwest (Miss.) Community College, was a second team All-American last season on the strength of a .435 batting average and eight home runs. He also garnered first team all-state and all-region honors for his play.
At Senatobia High, the Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen player and second team all-state performer, also collected first team all-state honors in football and was the MVP of the State Championship game.
The four-year letterwinner batted .620 with four home runs as a senior and added a .516 average his junior season with eight home runs as his team won both district and North State championships.
"Taylor is an infielder who has a good bat and really is an outstanding athlete," Palmer added. "He is a hard-nosed guy, who really has a chance to be a good one for us."
These three players join Jake Hawkins (Sumrall, Miss./Sumrall HS), Paxton King (Brookhaven, Miss./Brookhaven HS) and B.A. Vollmuth (Biloxi, Miss./Biloxi HS) who signed Wednesday with the program.