SCOOBA —
From now through March 10 will be an educational time for Chris Rose. The veteran baseball coach will be watching his East Mississippi Community College Lions closely to see exactly who will rise to the top as they work toward division play.
"You are going to have an idea after the fall (practice) what you have, but you really don't know how it's going to translate into the spring until you get on the field and start playing games," said Rose, beginning his third year as the head coach at EMCC. "The way I look at it, and look at my teams, the first 20 games are really used to find out what we need to do to go out and win games.
"By that time you learn more about who needs to be in the line-up and who can do what to help you win.”
The Lions who went 19-24 last season, open the 2013 campaign today by facing Bishop State in a doubleheader at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg beginning at noon.
From there EMCC makes the short trek to Lauderdale County to take on Meridian Community College in a noon doubleheader on Tuesday. After hitting the road for doubleheaders at Wallace State and Bishop State the following weekend, the Lions finally return to Scooba for their home opener when Jones County Junior College pays a visit on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
One of the reasons the Lions are playing their first eight games of the season on the road is because of reconfiguration of the outfield fences at Gerald Poole Field.
"That field was just so huge, that guys with really good power had to max out on the ball to get it out down the line," Rose said. "The look of the outfield will also give the field a little more character."
While the fence will be closer to the plate in left, there will also be a 17-foot high wall to give it a different look.
"It also kind of works more into my offensive philosophy," Rose said.
He said his team was going to be relatively young, with most of the experience being on the mound.
Among those being counted on the most will be former West Lauderdale standout Smokey Etheridge, who went 6-2 last season with a 4.74 ERA.
Others being counted on to contribute heavily on the mound for the Lions are 6-foot-2, 220-pound sophomore Chase Cameron — a transfer from Montevallo (Ala.) University, Dillon Hawkins, K.C. Abney and Austin Braddock, who is expected to get the start in today's opener.
The Lions will use a four-man rotation when MACJC North Division play begins in the second week of March, but Rose said that will take a little time to develop.
"I have been doing this for around a decade and I have only one team where the guys I perceived as the conference guys at the beginning of the season, ended the year that way," he said. "You just find out a lot of things and things change."
Seeing most of the action behind the plate will be Josh Tentoni and Jake Upton.
Lefty-hitting Trent Waddell is set to play first, with Phillip Tice at second and Drew Standland at short. Tyler Odom and Brad Swede are both looking to see action at third.
Freshman LaDarius Clark of Southeast Lauderdale will get the start in center field, while Colton Caver, Meridian High product Jason Yarbor, Braddock and Chase Reeves are all looking for playing time in the outfield.
Sports
Rose, Lions looking to learn during early games
- Sports
-
-
(PHOTOS) Enterprise in the Class 2A State Championship
Slideshow of Enterprise in the Class 2A State Championship fast pitch series.
-
(PHOTOS) Newton County wins Class 4A
Slideshow of Newton County in the Class 4A State Championship fast pitch series.
-
(PHOTOS) Neshoba wins Class 5A
Slideshow of Neshoba Central in the Class 5A State Championship fast pitch series.
-
Newton County beats Houston 10-0 to claim 7th fast-pitch championshi
Players from Newton County’s dugout barely made it to the foul line before a celebratory dogpile ensued here Saturday. Indeed, winning never gets old.
The Lady Cougars blanked Houston 10-0 Saturday at Freedom Ridge Park, completing an easy sweep of their best-of-three, Class 4A State Championship Series and gaining a measure of revenge after falling short a year ago. -
Rockets roar by East Central, claim 5A crown
Trae Embry took somewhat of a gamble when he accepted the softball
coaching job at Neshoba Central -- leaving his hometown and his comfort zone for a
new opportunity. - Newton County wins state
-
Enterprise falls twice to East Webster
It just wasn't to be.
After 16 innings of big plays and tense moments, the Enterprise Lady Bulldogs fell just short of their third MHSAA Class 2A State Fast-Pitch Softball Championship on Saturday, dropping a 3-1 decision in the decisive game three. But EHS head coach Davey Dewitt said he was pleased with the way his team played, battling East Webster to the last out. -
Richmond leaves Clarkdale for Neshoba Central
Former Clarkdale High School head football coach Chris Richmond is leaving the team to serve as a position coach at Neshoba Central next season. Richmond, who went 1-21 in his two seasons as the Bulldogs head coach said the move to Neshoba will help him stay closer to his family
-
Neshoba Central shuts out East Central 8-0
Neshoba Central’s last two rounds of the state softball playoffs involved grueling series wins over Lake Cormorant and New Hope. And while no one knows what today holds in the Class 5A State Championship Series, the Lady Rockets zipped through East Central like a hot knife through butter in Ridgeland Friday night.
-
Enterprise tops East Webster 6-3
Just one more win.
That's how far away the Enterprise Lady Bulldogs are from closing out an amazing season. After beginning the year 4-8, EHS has won 15 of their last 19 games, including Friday afternoon's 6-3 win over East Webster in the MHSAA Class 2A Fast-Pitch Softball Championships. - More Sports Headlines
-
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot
Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction
Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind
Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
