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FORMER NEMCC STAR SHINES AT JSU
May 30, 2007
JACKSON, Miss.-- Former Northeast Tigers outfielder James Sims (Houston) had an outstanding junior season for the Jackson State University Tigers in 2007, and was recently named the SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Newcomer Of The Year.
Sims was a star for the Houston Hilltoppers before suiting up for the NEMCC Tigers during the 2005 and 2006 seasons. While at JSU in 2007, the junior outfielder started 51 games and played in all 53 games on the JSU schedule. Sims led Jackson State with 73 runs scored in ’07 and finished the regular season as the sixth best run scorer in NCAA Division I baseball this season. Along with being one of the nation’s best plate-crossers, Sims batted .354 and carried a .544 slugging percentage to the plate.
“It wasn’t expected,” Sims said. “I mean, you always set your goals high, but I didn’t expect to do some of the things I was able to this year. I still feel like there were a lot of things I could have done better, things I’ll improve on for next year, but I’m very proud of what I was able to accomplish at JSU this season.”
In 195 at bats this season, the former NEMCC and Houston H.S. star totaled 70 hits, six doubles, eight triples, five home runs, and 36 RBI.
“The time I spent at Northeast,” Sims explained, “really taught me a lot. In high school you lift weights some, but while I was at Northeast you were forced to be in the weight room day in and day out, working on things very repetitively, and it took some getting used to. Once I got used to it I started to get better. I saw a lot of really good pitching at that level, also. It was a good experience.”
Sims will play for the Monroe Channelcats (Monroe, North Carolina) of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League this summer. The SCBL is a wooden bat league for senior and junior college players made up of teams from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
When asked if he expects to hear his name called on June 7-8 at the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, Sims provided a humble answer: “You never know what will happen. You can only hope you get drafted. If it happens, it happens. If not, then I’ll work hard and be better next year.”
Jackson State’s baseball team finished the season 31-20 overall, 18-7 in conference play, and were eliminated from the SWAC Tournament in the semifinal round.
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