East Mississippi players find a home at Valley
By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
April 29, 2003
ITTA BENA When Mississippi Valley State University contends for its first berth into the NCAA baseball tournament at the Southwestern Athletic Conference tourney this weekend the team will be helped by a trio of players who honed their skills at the junior college level in eastern Mississippi.
Delta Devils shortstop Tee Thomas roamed the diamond of Scaggs Field at Meridian Community College; third baseman Dee Hornesburger polished his fielding abilities in the East Central Community College lineup; and pitcher/outfielder Trey Walls improved his craft in an East Mississippi Community College uniform.
Each player traveled a different path to arrive on MVSU's diamond squad.
Thomas is a prime example of MVSU head baseball coach Doug Shanks' ability to find players.
The 30-year coaching veteran has tapped into many sources to find several hidden gems mostly in Mississippi's 15 junior colleges.
Thomas was so buried on the bench at MCC that the first few times Shanks tried to scout him, Thomas didn't even take infield practice.
But the first time the coach watched Thomas play, he knew he was on to something.
The shortstop has not let Shanks down carrying a .938 fielding percentage, and he is hitting .318, with 29 RBIs.
Hornesburger's tripped to the Division I level happened more by chance than anything else.
The Noxapater native caught the Delta Devils skipper's eye in Jackson when Hornesburger participated in a try out for the Baltimore Orioles.
Walls arrived on the MVSU campus because of a longtime connection to the coach.
The players journeys also varied after coming to the Delta Devils.
Hornesburger had the biggest change of the trio on the team.
The outfielder had to quickly learn a new position for MVSU at third base.
Walls has ventured back and forth from the mound and the outfield since coming to MVSU.
The trio has also had to get used to the new level of competition they face with the Delta Devils.
The biggest adjustment has come at the plate for the players.
They have also had to get used to a new setting in the Delta.
Mainly in the form of flying pests.
When the SWAC tournament begins this weekend, perennial SWAC power Southern, which is hosting, will be the favorite to earn the SWAC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
But the Delta Devils, along with the three former east Mississippi junior college players, like their chances of earning the first postseason bid in school history.
We're not the underdogs,'' Thomas said. We've got a good team.''
