Wildcats will have new look this season

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Feb. 12, 2004
The Meridian High School baseball team has enjoyed plenty of success on the diamond over the last three seasons.
The Wildcats, who finished the 2003 campaign with a 28-8 mark, have won the District 5-5A title three straight times, and the team has made it to the South State Championship game in each of the last two seasons.
Meridian High has finished runner-up in each of the last two seasons in the South State title game, including a loss to last year's Class 5A state champion Oak Grove in 2003.
But if the Wildcats are going to continue the program's recent success and take that final step of winning a title, it will be with a very different looking squad this season.
Meridian High lost a large senior class to graduation after last season, including six players who signed to play baseball at the junior college and college level.
Richmond Alexander received a scholarship to play at Meridian Community College; Ricky McMillan and Quinten Warren both signed to play for Stillman (Ala.) College; Maurice Cole moved on to play at Navaro (Texas) Junior College; and Tyler Maxwell and Lance Burnham signed with East Mississippi Community College.
While the Wildcats did lose a large amount of seniors, the team's cupboard isn't bare of talent.
Meridian High returns left fielder Kimone McDade, designated hitter/pitcher Ken Mitts, pitcher Tyler McMullen, infielder Chris Harris and left-handed pitcher Kedric Martin, who also hit .444 in 12 at bats last season.
Randy Diveley, who played at West Lauderdale last season, transferred to Meridian High and is expected to compete for a middle infielder job.
Meridian High still has plenty of talent, but it will be searching for leadership on a squad with just five seniors.
Justin Scott, Mitts and McDade are the returning seniors from last season's squad, and Marcus Boyd and Mitch Johnson will join the team for their senior year in high school.
The new voices expected to help guide the team through the season will coincide with the Wildcats' first new line up in three years.
McLemore said most of the positions on the field are open, with the catcher's spot the biggest question mark. Bobby Stone handled the catching duties last season, but he also graduated.
Meridian High may have questions behind the plate, but the team has a solid rotation on the mound.
Mitts posted a 4-0 record for the Wildcats last season, recording 41 strikeouts in 33 innings of work, and Martin recorded a 2.50 ERA, with 17 strike outs, in 11 2/3 innings.
McMullen, who was a freshman last season, impressed McLemore with an eight strikeout performance in seven innings against Oak Grove in the South State championship series, and he notched 17 strike outs in a limited 13 innings of work throughout last season.
The Wildcats also return an experienced group to their batting lineup, though the team will be looking for a new leadoff hitter.
Alexander held the top spot in the order for the past three seasons, and McLemore said he is looking for Fernando Atterberry, Steven Boyd or Diveley to fill in at the leadoff spot.
Along with a change at the top of the order, Meridian High will also be relying more on the team's speed on the base path in 2004.
The names and faces may be different and in new places, but McLemore said having open competition between all of his players should help the team continue the program's winning ways.