University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Adds Three Players for the 2010 Season
7/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 17, 2009
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Since returning from the College World Series last month head coach Scott Berry and recruiting coordinator Chad Caillet have hit the recruiting trail hard to replace the holes left from the magical 2009 team.
Berry announced today the addition of three junior college players who will wear the black and gold next season.
"All three of these players fill needs that we have headed into the 2010 season," Berry said. "Adding both a left handed and right handed pitcher gives us a little more balance on the mound along with a corner infielder who could help us immediately."
Mark Ellis is a 6'3", 215 pound, corner infielder that will transfer from Chipola College. Last season with the Indians, he hit .364 which was second on the team to fellow Golden Eagle signee Marc Bourgeouis, who led the squad at .369.
Ellis tallied eight home runs and six doubles to go along with 45 RBI in 44 games played. Ellis is a native of Maple Ridge, British Columbia.
"Mark is a strong and physical right-handed hitter with a lot of power," Berry added. "He is coming to us from one of the top junior colleges in the nation and knows how to win ball games."
Ryan MacNamara joins the Golden Eagle pitching staff from Allagany College of Maryland, where he was the ace of the nation's No. 8 team that participated in the JUCO World Series.
A 6'0" RHP from Bellfonte, Pa., MacNamara was 9-2 last season with a 2.56 ERA working 84.1 innings on the season. As a freshman at Allagany he was 7-1 with a 3.08 ERA bringing his two year total to 16-3 with a 2.79 ERA and striking out 143 hitters, including 93 last season.
In the NJCAA Division II World Series, he struck out 17 hitters in 12 innings of work, including 13 punch-outs over 10 innings in the opening game. He features a fastball in the low-to-mid 90's to complement his curveball, change-up and slider.
Out of Bald Eagle Area high school he was also a state qualifier in wrestling.
"Ryan is extremely competitive," Berry added. "He had a lot of success in junior college and locates his pitches very well."
Also joining the Golden Eagles pitching staff is LHP Mandella Mingo who will transfer as a sophomore from Meridian Community College where he was 5-1 with a 3.84 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 12 appearances last season.
Mingo prepped at Columbia High School and will have three years of eligibility at Southern Miss.
"Mandella is a competitor on the mound," Berry said. "He has improved every year through high school and last year in junior college. He really has a presence on the mound and is a very good athlete."
The Golden Eagles have now signed ten players for the 2010 class including high schoolers Jared Bales (C-Picayune HS/Picayune, Miss.), Dillon Day (LHP- Duchtown, HS/Geismas, La.), Chase Fowler (C- South Forsyth HS/Cumming Ga.), Jay Myrick (INF- Spanish Fort HS/Spanish Fort, Ala.) Geoffrey Thomas (RHP- Stephenson HS/Stone Mountain, Ga.) and Chase Wroten (RHP -Hillcrest Christian HS/ Jackson, Miss.) along with Junior College transfer Marc Bourgeois (OF-Chipola CC/Montreal, Quebec).
Patrick Corbin (LHP- Chipola CC/Syracuse, NY) signed to play for the Golden Eagles in May but was drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Angels and opted to turn professional.
In Addition the Golden Eagles will welcome four invited walk on players: Mark Buchanan (INF- Hinds CC/ Winona, Miss.), Patrick Donnelly (INF- St. Paul's HS/ Mandeville, La.), Josh Jones (LHP- Pearl River CC/ Columbia Miss.) and Issac Rodriguez (INF Cypress Bay HS/ Weston, Fla.)
-southernmiss.com-
.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
