University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Photo by: Joe Harper
Baseball Adds 11 for 2020 Campaign During Early Signing Period
12/21/2018 11:13:00 AM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball coach Scott Berry announced 11 additions to the 2020 roster who were added during the early signing period.
Those individuals include right-handed pitcher/infielder Michael Brewer (Hillsboro, Mo.), catcher/outfielder Cody Milligan (Binger, Kan.), infielder Brady Faust (New Orleans, La.), outfielder Billy Garrity (Hattiesburg, Miss.), infielder Dustin Dickerson (Laurel, Miss.), left-handed pitcher Chandler Best (Mobile, Ala.), along with right-handed pitchers Matt Adams (Pearland, Texas), Dallas Dyar (Raymond, Miss.), Ben Ethridge (Collinsville, Miss.), Isaiah Rhodes (McKinney, Texas) and Blake Wehunt (Carnesville, Ga.).
"We have put together another solid group of additions for our program starting for the 2020 season," said Southern Miss coach Scott Berry. "Associate head coach Chad Caillet and Christian Ostrander did a great job of going out and identifying the types of players that thrive in our baseball program – ones that excel both on the field and in the classroom. We look forward to them joining us next fall."
Brewer, at 6-foot-4, 215 lbs., batted .429 last season for Hillsboro High School, where he collected four doubles, four triples, two home runs and 20 RBI in in 56 at bats. In addition, he posted a 3-1 pitching record over 10 appearance (six starts) with a 3.73 ERA which included 52 strikeouts and 14 walks over 35 2/3 innings of work. He earned first-team honors on both the Jefferson County Activities Association in both basketball and baseball.
Milligan, at 5-foot-9, 170, comes to Southern Miss after playing this spring at Cowley County (Kan.) Community College. He originally signed at Oklahoma State and was 1-for-8 with the Cowboys in 15 games during the 2018 season. He helped lead Binger-Oney High School to back-to-back Class A state championships as a junior and senior, while batting .571 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI as a senior, to go along with 12 doubles and five triples. Milligan was named a 2017 MaxPreps Small Schools All-American.
Faust, at 5-foot-10, 175 lbs., hit .352 with 13 RBI and 11 stolen bases as a junior at Brother Martin High School on his way to all-district honors. He was also an all-district wide receiver for the Crusaders football team, catching the game-winning touchdown pass in the waning seconds of Brother Martin's victory over Bastrop.
Garrity, at 6-foot, 200 lbs., has seen action for Sumrall High School since his freshman season. In his career, he has played 96 games, with a .315 batting average, 15 home runs and 87 RBI. He hit .377 as a sophomore with hit seven homers, and then followed that up with a .341 season and eight long balls as a junior. He played football as well for the Bobcats.
Dickerson, at 5-foot-4, 160 lbs., played for former Golden Eagle great Trey Sutton at West Jones High School. Dickerson has been a starter for the West Jones baseball program since his freshman year. He holds a .283 career batting average, including at a .333 clip his junior season. As a junior, Dickerson helped West Jones (27-5) advance to the MHSAA Class 5A South State Championship series for just the fourth time in school history, standing out at both shortstop and on the mound. In 2018, Dickerson finished 8-1 from the mound in 14 appearances with a 1.18 ERA and led all Mustang pitchers with 83 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.
Best, at 5-foot-11, 185 lbs., has seen action for McGill-Toolen High School since his freshman year. Best holds a 25-1 record with 194 strikeouts over his career, including 103 as a junior. His ERA is at 0.66, while also hitting .327 at the plate with 20 RBI. Last season, he fanned 15 of 21 batters to throw a perfect game against rival Murphy and went on to earn ASWA Class 7A first-team all-state honors.
Adams, at 6-foot-1, 170 lbs., helped his school – Pearland High School – to a 25-11 record his junior season. He threw a six-inning no hitter as a sophomore in a district game and has earned first-team All-District 23-6A the last two seasons. He also was a member of the Pearland Little League that went to the 2014 World Series in Williamsport, Va.
Dyar, at 6-foot-3, 195 lbs., posted a 5-2 record over 14 appearance the last two seasons for the Clinton High School Arrows. He has a 2.69 earned run average with 65 strikeouts and only 30 walks over 54 2/3 innings of work. In addition, he was a member of the 2018 Mississippi State Games played last summer.
Ethridge, at 6-foot-1, 170 lbs., plays at West Lauderdale High School where over the last three years the school has won 76 games and won the 2017 MHSAA Class 4A state. He carried a 9-2 record as a starter behind a 1.07 earned run average last spring with 90 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 59 innings pitched. As a hitter, Ethridge posted a .377 batting average and accumulated nine RBIs with 15 runs.
Rhodes, at 6-foot-2, 155 lbs., preps at McKinney North High School where he has been an all-district performer the last two seasons. He threw a no-hitter as a sophomore with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
Wehunt, at 6-foot-6, 218 lbs., was an all-region 8-AAA performer last season both as a position player and as a pitcher at Franklin County High School in Georgia. The right-hander earned Region 8-AAA Player of the Year honors as a junior and threw a five-inning perfect game as a sophomore, in which he fanned 10 in the contest.
Southern Miss opens the 2019 season, Feb. 15-17, when they play host to Purdue for a three-game series at Pete Taylor Park. Season tickets are now available and can be purchased at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or by visiting the Pat Ferlise Athletic Ticket Office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Those individuals include right-handed pitcher/infielder Michael Brewer (Hillsboro, Mo.), catcher/outfielder Cody Milligan (Binger, Kan.), infielder Brady Faust (New Orleans, La.), outfielder Billy Garrity (Hattiesburg, Miss.), infielder Dustin Dickerson (Laurel, Miss.), left-handed pitcher Chandler Best (Mobile, Ala.), along with right-handed pitchers Matt Adams (Pearland, Texas), Dallas Dyar (Raymond, Miss.), Ben Ethridge (Collinsville, Miss.), Isaiah Rhodes (McKinney, Texas) and Blake Wehunt (Carnesville, Ga.).
"We have put together another solid group of additions for our program starting for the 2020 season," said Southern Miss coach Scott Berry. "Associate head coach Chad Caillet and Christian Ostrander did a great job of going out and identifying the types of players that thrive in our baseball program – ones that excel both on the field and in the classroom. We look forward to them joining us next fall."
Brewer, at 6-foot-4, 215 lbs., batted .429 last season for Hillsboro High School, where he collected four doubles, four triples, two home runs and 20 RBI in in 56 at bats. In addition, he posted a 3-1 pitching record over 10 appearance (six starts) with a 3.73 ERA which included 52 strikeouts and 14 walks over 35 2/3 innings of work. He earned first-team honors on both the Jefferson County Activities Association in both basketball and baseball.
Milligan, at 5-foot-9, 170, comes to Southern Miss after playing this spring at Cowley County (Kan.) Community College. He originally signed at Oklahoma State and was 1-for-8 with the Cowboys in 15 games during the 2018 season. He helped lead Binger-Oney High School to back-to-back Class A state championships as a junior and senior, while batting .571 with 10 home runs and 49 RBI as a senior, to go along with 12 doubles and five triples. Milligan was named a 2017 MaxPreps Small Schools All-American.
Faust, at 5-foot-10, 175 lbs., hit .352 with 13 RBI and 11 stolen bases as a junior at Brother Martin High School on his way to all-district honors. He was also an all-district wide receiver for the Crusaders football team, catching the game-winning touchdown pass in the waning seconds of Brother Martin's victory over Bastrop.
Garrity, at 6-foot, 200 lbs., has seen action for Sumrall High School since his freshman season. In his career, he has played 96 games, with a .315 batting average, 15 home runs and 87 RBI. He hit .377 as a sophomore with hit seven homers, and then followed that up with a .341 season and eight long balls as a junior. He played football as well for the Bobcats.
Dickerson, at 5-foot-4, 160 lbs., played for former Golden Eagle great Trey Sutton at West Jones High School. Dickerson has been a starter for the West Jones baseball program since his freshman year. He holds a .283 career batting average, including at a .333 clip his junior season. As a junior, Dickerson helped West Jones (27-5) advance to the MHSAA Class 5A South State Championship series for just the fourth time in school history, standing out at both shortstop and on the mound. In 2018, Dickerson finished 8-1 from the mound in 14 appearances with a 1.18 ERA and led all Mustang pitchers with 83 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.
Best, at 5-foot-11, 185 lbs., has seen action for McGill-Toolen High School since his freshman year. Best holds a 25-1 record with 194 strikeouts over his career, including 103 as a junior. His ERA is at 0.66, while also hitting .327 at the plate with 20 RBI. Last season, he fanned 15 of 21 batters to throw a perfect game against rival Murphy and went on to earn ASWA Class 7A first-team all-state honors.
Adams, at 6-foot-1, 170 lbs., helped his school – Pearland High School – to a 25-11 record his junior season. He threw a six-inning no hitter as a sophomore in a district game and has earned first-team All-District 23-6A the last two seasons. He also was a member of the Pearland Little League that went to the 2014 World Series in Williamsport, Va.
Dyar, at 6-foot-3, 195 lbs., posted a 5-2 record over 14 appearance the last two seasons for the Clinton High School Arrows. He has a 2.69 earned run average with 65 strikeouts and only 30 walks over 54 2/3 innings of work. In addition, he was a member of the 2018 Mississippi State Games played last summer.
Ethridge, at 6-foot-1, 170 lbs., plays at West Lauderdale High School where over the last three years the school has won 76 games and won the 2017 MHSAA Class 4A state. He carried a 9-2 record as a starter behind a 1.07 earned run average last spring with 90 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 59 innings pitched. As a hitter, Ethridge posted a .377 batting average and accumulated nine RBIs with 15 runs.
Rhodes, at 6-foot-2, 155 lbs., preps at McKinney North High School where he has been an all-district performer the last two seasons. He threw a no-hitter as a sophomore with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
Wehunt, at 6-foot-6, 218 lbs., was an all-region 8-AAA performer last season both as a position player and as a pitcher at Franklin County High School in Georgia. The right-hander earned Region 8-AAA Player of the Year honors as a junior and threw a five-inning perfect game as a sophomore, in which he fanned 10 in the contest.
Southern Miss opens the 2019 season, Feb. 15-17, when they play host to Purdue for a three-game series at Pete Taylor Park. Season tickets are now available and can be purchased at SouthernMissTickets.com, by calling 1-800-844-TICK (8425) or by visiting the Pat Ferlise Athletic Ticket Office Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
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