University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
This Week in Southern Miss Baseball
5/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 4, 2009
This Week's Schedule:
Monday 5/4: Day Off/No Practice
Tuesday 5/5: Day Off/No Practice
Wednesday 5/6: Practice at Pete Taylor Park
Thursday 5/7: Travel Day to Memphis
Friday 5/8: Southern Miss at Memphis - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 5/9: Southern Miss at Memphis - 2:00 p.m.
Sunday 5/10: Southern Miss at Memphis - 1:00 p.m.
*All practice dates and times are tentative and subject to change without prior notice
Conference USA Tournament:
The 2009 Conference USA Tournament will be held this season at Pete Taylor Park from May 20-24. Tournament Ticket books are now on sale at the Southern Miss ticket office. For complete tournament information visit: http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/championships/09-m-basebl-championship.html
Last Week in Review:
Last week was truly an emotional roller coaster for the Golden Eagle nation as Southern Miss defeated in-state rival and the nations No. 7 team Ole Miss on Tuesday to start the week. Southern Miss used a four run fourth inning to take the lead and held off a late Ole Miss surge to win their second consecutive game over a ranked opponent.
On Thursday head coach Corky Palmer announced that decided that he would be retiring at the end of this season, bringing an end to the coaching career of one of the most successful coaches in Southern Miss athletics history.
In the weekend series at Tulane Southern Miss dropped the Friday game before scoring nine runs in their final two at bats to come from behind and defeat Tulane on Saturday, 9-7. Sunday's contest was cut short as the black and gold fell in the rubber game with rain forcing the game to be called after five complete innings.
End of a Era
Southern Miss baseball coach Corky Palmer announced Thursday that he is retiring as head baseball coach, effective at the end of the season.
Palmer will continue to work with the athletics department in a part-time role in an effort to raise money for not only the baseball program, but other projects as assigned by athletics director Richard Giannini.
"I want to be the first to congratulate Corky on his retirement and compliment him on the outstanding record he has complied as the head coach of Southern Miss baseball for the past 12 years," said Giannini. "Corky will go down in the record books as one of the most successful coaches in any sport at Southern Miss. More importantly, is the quality, integrity and character of this man. He has been a great mentor and friend to countless student-athletes, assistant baseball coaches, other sports coaches and administrative staff members."
Palmer, who has compiled a 445-272 record as the top coach for the Southern Miss baseball program over the last 12 seasons, has led the Golden Eagles to seven NCAA tournament appearances including a current streak of six straight berths. His win total at the school ranks second-best on the school's all-time victory chart. Palmer ascended to the top job for the Golden Eagles in 1998, replacing long-time head coach Hill Denson.
The Hattiesburg, Miss., native finishes his 31st year of coaching this spring and has made stops at the prep level at Lee (1979-80) and Columbia High Schools (1983-84) before moving on to Southern Miss as an assistant coach for two seasons (1985-86).
Palmer then accepted his first collegiate head coaching job at Meridian (Miss.) Community College, where he oversaw a program that tallied a 409-160 mark over 10 seasons (1987-1996) and included five Miss-Lou Conference Championships and four Region 23 titles. His teams went to the Junior College World Series three times and the club was national runners-up in his final season in 1996.
He returned to his alma mater in 1997 as an assistant coach and the team went 34-23 that season before taking over the program the next year. The Golden Eagles have gone on to record 10 winning seasons over his tenure as head coach and have won 40 or more games in five of those campaigns, including a school-best 47 wins in 2003. That 2003 team also captured the C-USA tournament crown and for his efforts he was named the league's and region's Coach of the Year.
Over his time at Southern Miss, Palmer has coached 11 players to All-America honors, 10 Freshman All-Americans and four Academic All-Americans, as well as 19 players that have been drafted and gone on to professional baseball. He had four C-USA Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
Other accomplishments for Palmer during his time as head coach include hosting the school's first baseball postseason regional, many improvements to Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field including the recent addition of the press box and suites, a public recognition last spring by the NCAA as his team enjoyed a top 10 percent ranking of all of Division I baseball programs in Academic Progress Rates.
"The mark by Corky on Southern Miss baseball and our entire athletics program will be felt for a long, long time," Giannini said. "His legacy includes six consecutive NCAA appearances and the involvement in over $4.5 million in improvements to Pete Taylor Park, which included a clubhouse and office complex, a new press box and suites, an upgraded scoreboard and numerous other improvements to the complex. We are also happy that Corky will remain active as a part-time member of our staff and will continue to help raise funds to insure the quality of success for our baseball program."
Palmer is a member of both the Southern Miss Alumni Association and M-Club Sports Hall of Fames. He was inducted into the M-Club Hall of Fame and the Alumni Association Hall of Fame in 2006.
Palmer, and his wife of 33 years, Debbie, will continue to reside in the Hattiesburg area.
C-USA Weekend in Review
Crosstown rivals Houston and Rice met with first place on the line and the series did not disappoint with Rice winning two of three in a series that was decided by a total of six runs. Houston took the series opener on Friday night, 7-4 as Jared Ray earned his fourth straight win. On Saturday, Michael Fuda hit a two-out RBI single to break a 5-5 tie and give Rice a 7-5 victory. That win earned the Owls the Silver Glove Trophy, which goes to the winner of the annual five-game series between the teams. Rice made it a 2-1 weekend win and a 4-1 Silver Glove series triumph by holding off a late UH rally to win on Sunday, 6-5.
Tulane and Southern Miss renewed their long-standing rivalry in Hattiesburg, with the Green Wave taking two-of-three. Tulane won the opener, 7-2, behind a strong pitching performance by Jonathan Garrett. Southern Miss bounced back to take Saturday's game, 9-7, coming from behind by scoring nine runs over the final two innings. Thunderstorms were the big winner on Sunday, but the teams were able to play five full innings, as the Green Wave grabbed an 8-4 win and a series triumph.
Marshall broke out its bats for some big innings to take the first two games of its series at UCF before the Knights won the series finale in extra innings. The Thundering Herd used a five-run eighth inning to erase a 7-5 deficit on Friday night, winning 10-8. On Saturday, Marshall erupted for 14 runs over the final two innings to earn a series victory on the road with an 18-8 win. The teams needed extra innings on Sunday, as UCF
UAB took both games of its series against Memphis, with Sunday's game being cancelled due to heavy rain and tornado warnings in the Birmingham area. The Blazers rallied from an 8-6 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to win Friday night's game, 9-8. On Saturday, Brint Hardy hit a walk-off home run that gave UAB an 8-7 win.
East Carolina swept its weekend series with Louisiana-Lafayette, allowing a total of just six runs in three games. The Pirates have now reached the 35-win mark with seven regular season games remaining on the schedule. Brad Mincey, Seth Maness and Chris Heston each earned victories on the mound for ECU.
The Week's Opponents:
With final exams on campus this week Southern Miss will not play a midweek game. They return to C-USA play this weekend at Memphis. The Tigers dropped the first two games of their weekend series at UAB before thunderstorms and tornado warnings forced the cancellation of Sunday's series finale. Senior SS Brett Bowen hit safely in both games at UAB, extending his hitting streak to nine games. In Friday night's game, sophomore 2B Adam McClain went 3-for-5, while junior C Shawn Ablett drove in three runs. Senior DH Cole Shelton had a pair of hits and four RBI in Saturday's contest. Senior RHP Duke Williams had a strong relief appearance for the Tigers on Saturday, retiring 10-straight Blazer hitters after giving up a single to the first batter he faced. Williams allowed just one hit in 3.2 scoreless innings of relief work. Memphis has played a league-high 15 one-run games this season, going 7-8 in such games.
2010 Signees
HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES
C Jared Bales- A 6'2" and 210 pound catcher who plays for coach Cayne Stockstill at Picayune High School in south Mississippi, where he earned All-District honors as a sophomore and junior. Last season he led his team with a .439 average, collecting 43 hits in 98 at bats including 14 doubles and three home runs while driving in 35 runners.
LHP Dillon Day- Day will join Southern Miss out of Dutchtown High School in Geismas, La. where he played for coach Chris Schexnayder. Day is a 6'1" left-handed pitcher who could also play in the outfield for Southern Miss once he arrives on campus. As a pitcher he earned first-team all district honors last season as a junior going 5-4 with two saves in 51.2 innings pitched. He struck out 79 batters and boasted an ERA of 2.98. At the plate he hit .337 with six home runs and 22 RBI.
C Chase Fowler- From South Forsyth High School in Cumming Ga., where he played for coach Jamie Corr. Fowler earned all-county honors after both his sophomore and junior season and was named one of the top underclassmen in the state of Georgia after last season. He was named the Eagles defensive player of the year, allowing only one passed ball all season and led his team to the state playoffs for the second consecutive year. He is a 6'0" switch hitter who hit .339 during his sophomore season and .278 as a junior.
RHP/INF Jay Myrick - Myrick joins the Golden Eagles from Spanish Fort high where he played for coach Tommy Walker. He is an All-State and All-County selection who played in the Alabama High School Athletic Association All-Star Game. On the mound he is 19-6 in his career with six saves, working 165 innings with 256 strikeouts. He is 3-0 this season in 21 innings with 38 strikeouts and a2.63 ERA. He features a fastball in the 88-90 MPH range with a good curveball. At the plate he is a .310 hitter with 30 doubles and 21 home runs and 124 career run scored.
RHP- Geoffrey Thomas - Thomas comes to Hattiesburg out of Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He is a 6'2", 185 pound right-handed pitcher playing for coach Eric Hosie at SHS where he carries a 0.51 ERA in 27.2 innings thus far this season with 48 strikeouts and 23 walks. He is 3-2 on a team that in 3-9 overall this season. He was named the team MVP in both 2008 and 2006 while earning all-county honors in 2007 and 2008. Prior to the 2009 season he was named to the Rawlings/Perfect Game USA Preseason All-Region Team. Thomas has also participated in the Major League Baseball Inaugural Breakthrough Series and was a MLB Urban Academy All-Star selection in 2008.
RHP Chase Wroten- Wroten is a right-handed pitcher who will join the Golden Eagles from Hillcrest Christian High School in Jackson where he has played for coach Shane Kelly since his freshman season. Last year he earned All-State honors while leading his team to a Division II AAA State Championship. He was 8-0 with one save in nine starts and one relief appearance with an ERA of 1.14. He struck out 102 batters in 55.1 innings while walking only 15. in addition to All-State honors he was also earned All-District and All-Metro honors as well.
JUNIOR COLLEGE SIGNEES
OF Marc Bourgeois - Bourgeois will transfer to Southern Miss from junior college powerhouse Chipola JC in Marianna, Florida where he started 55 games for the Florida State Champion Indians last season. In addition to the state championship he helped led the Chipola to an appearance in the JUCO World Series, Region VIII Championship and the Panhandle Conference Championship in his freshman season. With the Indians last season he hit .290 with four home runs and 10 doubles while being named to the state tournament all-star team. He is a native of Montreal, Quebec where he attended Louis-Philippe Pare High School, thought he did not play baseball in high school he was a part of the Academy Baseball Canada under coach Joel Landry where he hit .380 with seven doubles and 16 stolen bases. He also played for the Canadian Junior National Baseball Team from 2006-07.
LHP Patrick Corbin - Corbin will transfer to Southern Miss from Chipola Community College, one of the nations top junior college programs. Baseball America has him as the No. 10 ranked junior college prospect in the nation. He is a 6'3" left-handed pitcher that features fast ball in the 88-92 MPH range with a plus slider, who pitched his freshman season at Mohawk Valley Community College in Rome, NY. A native of Syracuse, NY, Corbin earned first team all-state and all-league honors at Cicero North Syracuse high, which was the No.1 ranked team in the state of New York. As a senior in 2007, he was 8-0 with 76 strikeouts in 47 innings, allowing only 33 hits and 16 runs. He was 14-0 in his high school career with 139 strikeouts.
Awards and Honors:
Conference USA Hitter of the Week
Bo Davis (3/2)
Brian Dozier (3/30)
Conference USA Pitcher of the Week
Seth Hester (4/6)
College Baseball Insiders Central Region Player of the Week
Brian Dozier (3/30)
College Baseball Insiders National "All-Star Lineup"
Bo Davis (3/2)
Brooks Wallace Award Watch List
(National Player of the Year)
Preseason All-Conference USA
(Selected by C-USA Coaches)
Preseason Baseball America All-Conference Team
Preseason SEBaseball.com All-Conference First Team
Preseason SEBaseball.com All-Conference Second Team
Preseason Rivals.com All-Conference Team
Brain Dozier
Following the Golden Eagles:
WXHB The Hub, 96.5 will once again serve as the flagship radio station for Golden Eagles baseball in 2008. John Cox is in his 27th year calling Golden Eagles baseball. He will be joined in the booth this season by Jack Duggan on most home games and selected road games.
Southernmiss.com will once again stream live stats of all 52 games on a real time basis and live video will be available for all home games and selected road games through Southern Miss All-Access
Tickets:
Individual game tickets can be purchased through the Pat Ferlise Athletic Ticket Office on West 4th St., from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, over the phone at 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or online at SouthernMiss.com. The Pete Taylor Park ticket office will open approximately two hours prior to first pitch.
Discounted group tickets are also available for groups of 15 or more. For more information on bringing your group to "The Pete" contact Brain Morrison at 601.266.6866
Game Day Weather Hotline
For the latest information on weather related issues concerning Southern Miss home events call the Southern Miss gameday hotline at 601.266.7411. The number will be updated constantly in situations where weather could affect games.
