| 1996 | October | November |
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12/31/96 - Here's what Collegiate Baseball says about our baseball team - "The Bulldogs have one of its most experienced teams in years with the return of all but three starting position players and one starting rotation pitcher from last year's 38-24 club that finished fourth at the West Regionals. Heading the returnees is pre-season All-American LHP Eric DuBose (10-4, 3.11 ERA, 174 Ks), a good bet to be a first round pick this June in the Free Agent Draft. 'This will be our most experienced team we have had here in many years,' said Bulldog Head Coach Ron Polk. 'We have a tremendous pitching staff with a lot of depth, and the No. 1 recruiting class in college baseball two years ago are now all juniors. Experience is such a big factor in a team's chances for success.' Mississippi State has the firepower to make a serious run at the national title in 1997." As most of you already know, Miss State is ranked 7th in Collegiate Baseball's pre-season poll.
12/29/96 - Although this is not Miss State related, it is such a great honor for Mississippi high school baseball that I had to post it here. New Hope (Columbus, MS) high school coach Stacy Hester was recently selected National Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. A week earlier he had received his plaque for being selected the District 6 Coach of the Year by the same group. This is an outsanding honor for Coach Hester and also high school baseball in Mississippi. For all of you who don't know much about New Hope's baseball team and their accomplishments last year, they were 43-0 in 1996 and ended up the year ranked 12th in the nation in the final USA Today baseball rankings. The 43 wins by New Hope is the most any team can have in a season based on the number of games the state of Mississippi allows a team to play. The 43 game winning streak is also a Mississippi state record. The previous record was 42 victories by Petal High School over the course of the 1995 and 1996 seasons. Congrats Coach Hester and the New Hope High School Baseball Team, you did the state of Mississippi proud. Source: The Commercial Dispatch
12/20/96 - According to Collegiate Baseball, Miss State is ranked 7th in their preseason poll. I should be getting my issue very soon. When I do, you will get the inside scoop.
12/12/96 - Just got my latest Baseball America in yesterday. It had a list of the top 50 high schools players in it. There was one Mississippi player on the list, RHP Donnie Bridges of Hattiesburg. He signed with Alabama during the early signing period, but it would surprise me if he played there next year. He is listed as the 7th best high school player in the country. There was also listed in the top 50 a player from Memphis that Mississippi State is recruiting, Ronte Langs. He was ranked 39th. Kenny Kelly, an OF from Tampa, Fla, was also on the list. He was ranked as the 19th best player in the country. He is a very highly recruited QB.
12/06/96 - Here's some info about Rob Hauswald I found in The Clarion-Ledger today.
Injured Mississippi State second baseman Rob Hauswald said he he has received medical clearance to practice and expects to play for the Bulldogs next spring.
Hauswald, a junior, suffered a skull fracture Sept. 28 when he crashed into a tree while riding an all-terrain vehicle. He was forced to withdraw from school this semester, but coach Ron Rolk said Hauswald has enough credit hours that he will be eligible in the spring.
Hauswald said he hopes to begin facing live pitching soon, even though he still has hearing loss in his right ear and weakened muscles on the right side of his face.
"I'm extremely lucky," said Hauswald, who led State in home runs and RBI last year. "I could have been killed, easily."
12/05/96 - Mississippi State signed Enrico Jones to a baseball scholarship recently. The thing that makes the signing so notable is Enrico is black. He is the first black player MSU has signed to a scholarship since Jerome Nelson signed one about 8 to 10 years ago. There have black players that have walked on since then, but none was a scholarship signee coming out of high school.
Please contact me at swindoll@ebicom.net if you have any Miss State baseball info you would like to share. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.