University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Photo by: Joe Harper/bgnphoto.com
Baseball Increases 2024 Squad with Announcement of Seven Additional Players
11/12/2022 2:06:00 PM | Baseball
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball coach Scott Berry announced Saturday the addition of seven more players for the 2024 season, including infielder Gabe Broadus (Mobile, Ala.), outfielder Ty Durham (Bentonville, Ark.), right-handed pitcher McCarty English (Ocean Springs, Miss.), infielder Charlie Keller (Mobile, Ala.), right-handed pitcher Peyton Lacy (Pass Christian, Miss.), right-handed pitcher Landen Payne (Ocean Springs, Miss.) and right-handed pitcher Sawyer Toney (Tampa, Fla.).
Broadus, who played for junior college national champion Pearl River Community College last spring, posting a .382 batting average and a .467 on-base percentage. He tallied 84 hits, 66 runs, 40 RBIs, 33 walks, 11 doubles, three homers and one triple. He also stole 39 bases in 44 tries. In the field, Broadus had a .974 fielding percentage, making just three errors in 116 total chances. Broadus was also named First Team All-MACCC and All-Region 23. Broadus played his high school baseball at Faith Academy and as a senior hit .414 with 14 doubles and 43 RBI, to go along with 32 stolen bases and 33 runs scored. He was an Alabama 6A All-State selection, named to AL.com's Terrific 20 team and in football caught 18 passes for 369 yards and seven touchdowns.
Durham, a two-sport athlete in both football and baseball at Bentonville West High School, plays baseball for his dad, Chip. He made the Farm Bureau Insurance Watch List for Arkansas football awards as a wide receiver. He also plays shortstop and the outfield for his baseball team, which finished 20-12 last spring.
English, who preps at Ocean Springs High School, started in 10 games last season and threw 53 1/3 innings. He fanned 81 and walked 25 with a 1.71 ERA. He was a 2022 Perfect Game Southeast Regional honorable mention selection and a preseason player to watch by CaptialSportsMS.com. He added a .220 batting average with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and 14 RBI.
Keller, who graduated from Mobile Christian last spring and is a freshman at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this season, earned the most valuable player honors in the state Class 4A state championship series as he led his school to a state championship and a 33-4 record. He homered in his final high school at bat in the final state title contest. Keller hit .398 for the season with 10 homers, 37 RBIs and 35 runs scored. He was the ASWA's Class 4A Hitter of the Year.
Lacy, from Pass Christian High School, made the 2022 Sun Herald All-South Mississippi team and a Class 4A all-state selection by the Mississippi Coaches Association. His school reached the second round of the state playoffs. He helped District 8 capture the State Games of Mississippi, going 5-for-8 in the series and picking up a save in the final game.
Payne, who played for national champions Pearl River Community College last season, appeared in 15 games and posted a 4-3 record with a 2.88 ERA. He fanned 37 and walked nine in 25 innings of work. Payne prepped at St. Martin, holding a 2.18 ERA over three seasons. In 88.2 innings pitched, Payne struck out 102 batters against 18 walks, while allowing just 27 runs.
Toney, who played his first season at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., appeared in 12 games with eight starts and posted a 4-1 record with one complete game. In 45 innings, he allowed 33 hits and 22 walks with 61 strikeouts to go along with a 2.20 ERA.
These eight individuals join right-hander pitcher/infielder Cal Culpepper (Clarkdale, Miss.), infielder T.J. Dunsford (Grand Bay, Ala.), catcher Jacob Keys (Brandon, Miss.), right-handed pitcher Drake Meeks (Birmingham, Ala.), catcher/infielder Lawson Odom (Laurel, Miss.), infielder Seth Smith (Mobile, Ala.), Josh Och (Victorian, Minn.) and infielder Will Verdung (Corinth, Miss.) as part of the class for the 2024 season for Golden Eagle baseball.
Broadus, who played for junior college national champion Pearl River Community College last spring, posting a .382 batting average and a .467 on-base percentage. He tallied 84 hits, 66 runs, 40 RBIs, 33 walks, 11 doubles, three homers and one triple. He also stole 39 bases in 44 tries. In the field, Broadus had a .974 fielding percentage, making just three errors in 116 total chances. Broadus was also named First Team All-MACCC and All-Region 23. Broadus played his high school baseball at Faith Academy and as a senior hit .414 with 14 doubles and 43 RBI, to go along with 32 stolen bases and 33 runs scored. He was an Alabama 6A All-State selection, named to AL.com's Terrific 20 team and in football caught 18 passes for 369 yards and seven touchdowns.
Durham, a two-sport athlete in both football and baseball at Bentonville West High School, plays baseball for his dad, Chip. He made the Farm Bureau Insurance Watch List for Arkansas football awards as a wide receiver. He also plays shortstop and the outfield for his baseball team, which finished 20-12 last spring.
English, who preps at Ocean Springs High School, started in 10 games last season and threw 53 1/3 innings. He fanned 81 and walked 25 with a 1.71 ERA. He was a 2022 Perfect Game Southeast Regional honorable mention selection and a preseason player to watch by CaptialSportsMS.com. He added a .220 batting average with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and 14 RBI.
Keller, who graduated from Mobile Christian last spring and is a freshman at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this season, earned the most valuable player honors in the state Class 4A state championship series as he led his school to a state championship and a 33-4 record. He homered in his final high school at bat in the final state title contest. Keller hit .398 for the season with 10 homers, 37 RBIs and 35 runs scored. He was the ASWA's Class 4A Hitter of the Year.
Lacy, from Pass Christian High School, made the 2022 Sun Herald All-South Mississippi team and a Class 4A all-state selection by the Mississippi Coaches Association. His school reached the second round of the state playoffs. He helped District 8 capture the State Games of Mississippi, going 5-for-8 in the series and picking up a save in the final game.
Payne, who played for national champions Pearl River Community College last season, appeared in 15 games and posted a 4-3 record with a 2.88 ERA. He fanned 37 and walked nine in 25 innings of work. Payne prepped at St. Martin, holding a 2.18 ERA over three seasons. In 88.2 innings pitched, Payne struck out 102 batters against 18 walks, while allowing just 27 runs.
Toney, who played his first season at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., appeared in 12 games with eight starts and posted a 4-1 record with one complete game. In 45 innings, he allowed 33 hits and 22 walks with 61 strikeouts to go along with a 2.20 ERA.
These eight individuals join right-hander pitcher/infielder Cal Culpepper (Clarkdale, Miss.), infielder T.J. Dunsford (Grand Bay, Ala.), catcher Jacob Keys (Brandon, Miss.), right-handed pitcher Drake Meeks (Birmingham, Ala.), catcher/infielder Lawson Odom (Laurel, Miss.), infielder Seth Smith (Mobile, Ala.), Josh Och (Victorian, Minn.) and infielder Will Verdung (Corinth, Miss.) as part of the class for the 2024 season for Golden Eagle baseball.
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