1982-1986

East Central begins baseball Saturday By Marty Stamper The Meridian Star DECATUR - The East Central Junior College Warriors will open their 1987 baseball season with a 1 p.m. double-header Saturday at Scooba with East Mississippi Junior College. The baseball program at the Decatur-based school was nearly drop– ped after last year's 2-28 season. Instead of throwing in the towel, however, it was decided that more interest should be given to the program. Last year's assistant coach Larry Gressett was promoted to head coach for this season. Larry Blackburn and Ricky Harrison will serve as assistant coaches. Blackburn and Harrison have done most of the pre-season work in preparation of the upcoming 36-game schedule. "They have done a lot of work on the field - planting rye grass and fertilizing it. Plus they worked with the team in the fall while I was coaching the men's basketball team,'' Gressett said. The Warriors have only two returning players off last year's squad. They are Chris Hemphill, a left-handed pitcher from Louisville, and Torie Farrell, an outfielder from Walnut Grove. Newcomers expected to play in the outfield are Patrick Kelly and Will Summerall from Morton, Mark Fulton from Philadelphia, Jason Thomas from Union, Gary Carey from South Leake, and Terry Nichols from Louisville. The infield will be chosen from Doug Jones, a second baseman– shortstop, second baseman Greg Warren from Forest, third baseman Jim Sisson from Philadelphia, Bill Hamrick, a first baseman from Hickory, Myron Gilmore a utility infielder from Carthage, and Steve · Johnson, a first baseman from Philadelphia. Besides Hemphill, other pitchers likely to see action are John Mar– tin from Detroit, Michigan; Ryan Hull from Hickory, Tommy Wallace and Anthony Triplett from Louisville, and Rory Willis from Choctaw Central. Hull will also see action at second base, while Wallace pulls extra duty at third base and catcher. Two players currently out for spring football are expected to battle ~for the catcher's position. They are Miles Porter from Morton and Verandel Irons from Neshoba Central. Mecridric Calloway, also from Neshoba Central, and Terry Moore from Noxapater are expected to participate when spring football drills conclude. ~· The first home games for the Warriors will be on March 2when they host Pearl River in a 1 p.m.' double-header.

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