Big three all ranked in baseball
By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Dec. 30, 2003
Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Southern Miss all picked up where they left off in collegiate baseball.
The three have been ranked in the Collegiate Baseball magazine Fabulous Forty.
The Rebels were ranked 27th in the preseason poll while the Bulldogs hold down 30 and the Golden Eagles come in at 37.
Rice and Miami are tied for the top spot in the poll after each receiving 495 points. It is the first tie for the top position in the history of the poll, which dates back to 1959.
Ole Miss starts the season in 27th after going 35-27 last season. The Rebels received 424 points in the preseason ranking.
The Rebels will return many starters including Stephen Head, who was recently named a first team Preseason All-American as a utility player.
The sophomore from Raymond led Ole Miss in batting average at .337 and also led the Rebels with a 1.40 ERA last season on his way to Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year honors.
Ole Miss also had the Collegiate Baseball 10th-ranked recruiting class coming in this season.
The Rebels will open the season with a three-game series with Birmingham Southern in Oxford starting Feb. 20.
The Bulldogs were ranked 30th in the Fabulous Forty Poll after receiving 408 points.
The Bulldogs finished the 2003 season ranked 24th after going 42-20-1.
State returns six of eight position players and 17 lettermen off last year's team, which advanced to the championship game of the NCAA regional in Starkville.
Infielders Thomas Berkery and Steve Gendron will be returning along with catcher Craig Tatum.
Starting outfielders Jon Mungle, Brad Corley and Joseph Hunter will also be returning to the squad this season.
The Bulldogs lost nine starters off last year's staff, but will are returning Brett Cleveland, Brad Corley, Brooks Dunn, Jamie Gant, Alan Johnson, Jeff Lacher and Saunders Ramsey.
MSU will battle a difficult schedule as they play 24 games against teams in Collegiate Baseball's preseason poll.
State will kick off the season with games against Western Kentucky and Illinois at Dudy Noble Field in the MSU Challenge Feb. 27-29.
The Golden Eagles of Southern Miss also made the preseason poll after a successful 2003 season.
USM is ranked 37th in the poll with 386 points after going 47-16 last season. The Golden Eagles finished the 2003 season ranked 25th.
Southern Miss finished the year as runner-up in the NCAA regional in Hattiesburg.
USM returns the entire infield from last year's team with Brad Willcutt, Marc Maddox, Jarrett Hoffpauir, Matt Shepherd and Beau Griffin returning.
Outfielder Jason Lowery will also be returning, along with starting pitchers Anthony DeWitt and Cliff Rossum. Coach Corky Palmer also returns his entire bullpen.
Southern Miss will start the 2004 campaign with a three-game series with Northwestern State at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson Field starting Feb. 20.
