February 10, 2009

2009 FEATURE

NORTHEAST BASEBALL ‘ARMED’ FOR 2009 SEASON
BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- Northeast Mississippi Community College Head Baseball Coach Kent Farris knows the old adage, “The game of baseball starts on the mound.”

Farris has taken the meaning literally and will have a baker’s dozen toeing the mound when the Northeast baseball season kicks off on Friday, February 13 against Arkansas Baptist at Harold T. White Field in Booneville.

“Pitching depth has also been key in this league and we have more of it this year,” Farris said. “It is going to be vital to our success.”

Success is something that Farris has brought to the Northeast baseball program since taking over the reigns from Ray Scott. Farris’s Tigers pieced together a 32-18 record during the 2008 season and appeared in the Mississippi Association of Community/Junior College’s State Tournament as well as the Region XXIII Tournament.

“We hope to build on the success we had last year,” Farris said. “We have 18-19 freshmen so a lot of young kids will be thrown into the fire early. Our success will depend on the leadership of our sophomores.”

Northeast’s success in the 2009 season will depend on the well-seasoned arms of a handful of sophomore pitchers.

All-State selection and save ace Patrick Hinton (Kossuth) returns for his sophomore year after finishing third in the nation in saves during the 2008 season. Hinton recorded 11 saves in just 19 games and came out with a 0.342 earn run average (ERA) and signed with the University of North Alabama early.

Joining Hinton on the mound include a trio of middle relievers that will help the Tigers get to their save ace. Blake Yarbrough (Muscle Shoals, Ala.), Jake Mills (Lafayette County) and Lee Paine (Oxford) all saw action on the mound the last year.

According to Farris, “They will be starting in some of our lefty-on-lefty match-ups and will throw middle relief for us.”

Returning right-hander Nick Mentel (Fountaine Bleau, La.) will also suit up for the Tigers during 2009 campaign. Mentel, who throws in the mid-to-upper 80s and hit 94 miles per hour (mph) on the radar gun during the fall, led all Tiger freshman pitchers in 2008 with 37 strikeouts in 44.1 innings.

Northeast’s pitching staff got a boost when Booneville High School product Jon Andy Scott came back from Tommy John surgery and joined the Tigers over the summer.

Scott has already signed with the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and will be a needed left-handed arm in the starting rotation.

Joining Hinton, Yarbrough, Mills, Paine, Mentell and Scott are seven freshmen that Farris is relying on to come into the fold quickly.

Brandon Farley (Cookeville, Tenn.), Brad Luna (New Albany), Zane Treadaway (East Union), Michael Collie (Houston, Tenn.), Brett Morgan (Tishomingo County), Adam Kay (Belmont) and B.J. Cox (Mantachie) are all slated to see time on the mound for the Tigers.

A key cog in the Tiger defense returns behind the plate.

Sophomore and second team All-State selection Phillip Chapman (Clinton) is in charge of controlling the Tiger pitchers and already has one year under his belt.

“The great thing about Phillip is how well he handles our pitchers and his defense,” Farris said. “He just needs to know his capabilities and not try to do too much.”

Freshman Kyle Emison (Mooreville) and Brock Foster (New Albany) will give Chapman a break from the 50-game season.

Around the diamond, sophomores will make up part of the Tiger line-up while a few freshmen will be thrown in to the community college fire early.

Jake Mills, who will also see time on the mound, along with Tyler White (DeSoto Central) will staff first while a trio of Tigers are fighting for time at second.

Reshirts Scott Fleming (Saltillo) and Neal Tice (Wheeler) are both vying for time in the middle of the Tiger defense along with freshman Ben Wallis (Ripley).

Returning sophomore Nick McGregor (Pontotoc) has the shortstop position in his grasp. McGregor, who was an early University of North Alabama signee, will also serve alongside Hinton as one of two Tiger captains this year.

“(Nick) worked hard during the off season,” said Farris, “and became productive with the bat in the fall.”

A pair of freshman is battling for time at the hot corner. Daniel Tunnell (New Albany) and Brandon Farley, one of 13 Tiger pitchers, will see time at third during the season.

With the infield taken care of, Farris is looking at where to place the remainder of his outfielders.

One thing the veteran coach knows, “Hunter Mize (Lafayette County) is going to play somewhere.”

Seth Kennedy (Tishomingo County) returns to the Tiger line-up after receive a medical redshirt in 2008 and becoming an ordained minister over the summer.

John Stephens (Ripley), Ty Shirley (New Hope), Michael Collie and Larry Roscoe (Wayne County) will all see time in the outfield for the Tigers.

With the added depth, Farris has also bolstered the Tigers schedule for 2009.
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Champion LSU-Eunice has a prominent spot on the Tigers schedule along side some other high-powered teams.

“We have a couple of teams from up north coming in here as well,” Farris said speaking of Ellsworth (Iowa) and Hibbing (Minn.) “Gulf Coast and Hinds have to make the trip up here this year as well.”

The crafty veteran knows that even with as much depth as the Tigers have there is still one thing that could possibly hold the Tigers back.

“To be competitive, we need to stay healthy,” said Farris. “Depth has been an issue but we have more kids this year and there is not a huge drop off between them.”

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