2004

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ECCC Diamond Warriors

When baseball season gets undeiWay February 12 for the East Central Community College Diamond Warriors, players will have more than scoring runs and winning games on their minds. Team members will also direct their thoughts toward John Fortenberry, a freshman p1tcher from Carthage, who sustained a season-ending mjury during an intra-squad scrim– mage on January 23. Fortenberry was hit in the face by a line drive, crushing the ride side of his face. He undeiWent several hours of surgery at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson following the incident, but efforts to save his nght eye were not successful. Another surgery was per– formed January 29, during which time doctors removed his eye and reconstructed the right side of his face. Fortenberry is expected to receive an artificial eye sometime in March. Diamond Warrior head Jake Yarborough said players will display Fortenberry's # 29 on their caps throughout the 2004 campaign in tribute to their fallen teammate. Yarborough said Fortenberry. a 6-3, 211 -pound light– bander and fo1mer standout at Carthage High School, was among freshman hurlers competing for the starting rotation. He was also expected to see playing time in the outfield. Yarborough also said Fortenberry's accident has been "devastating to our whole baseball team." "Our hearts and prayers go out to John and his family," Yarborough said, "and we hope for a quick recovery. John is a very athlet– ic young man and one of our top freshmen. We will miss him this sea-

son but the most important thing ts his health and well being.·· Fortenberry is the son of Dawn and Cookie Fortenbell} of Carthage. Yarborough, no\\ m hi~ third year as ECCC head coach. led the Diamond Warriors to a 21-21 mark last season. They were one game away from makmg the 'tate playoffs, a goal Yarborough C:\IX"Ct.:; his team to reach this year. "We have several returnen from last year, including stx starters in the field and two pnchef'- Our sophomores know hO\\ tough our schedule is and we expect them to give us leadershtp... Yarborough said. Regarding the team strengths. Yarborough made the fol– lowing observation: "I think our team has a strong work ethic and a love for the game. We should be more athlenc this year. Our outfielders have good speed with arm strength. \\'e are fun. damental in the infield. Our catchers are tough behind the plate Our pitching staff consists of s1:.. sopho– mores and seven freshmen. Our ke> to success lies ,,;th defense and pitching." Top offens1ve returnees and their respective battmg averages from 2003 include Drew Kenna of Forest, .392; Dexter Sellers of Bastrop, La., .320; and Michael Dunn of Pascagoula, who hit .287 with six home runs and 30 RBls. Destin Moore ofKosciusko collect– ed 24 RBis. (Kenna, team co-cap– tain with pitcher Jim Tally, sustained a broken left arm during practice on January 29 and will be out of action for approximately eight weeks.) Tally, a product of Mooreville High School in Saltillo, leads returning pitchers with a 6-2 record. Tally and fellow sophomores Brent McMillan

of ewton and Hunter Holley of Philadelphia are competing for the starting rotation on the mound. Regarding top freshmen, Yarborough said Jonathan Booker (Philadelphia) and Lucas Poole (~e\\ton) "are also competing for the starting rotation," and Marcus Davis (Magee) has been "very Impressive swinging the bat." He added Mario Thomas (Forest) and Brandon Ezell (Newton County) should see "a lot ofplaying time" in the middle infield. Yarborough said his team lS ready to begin the ''real" season, ~pecially after completing a suc– ce ·sful fall campaign. ·we finished 5-2-1 in the fall. and several players posted out– standing stats. Michael Dunn bit .457 ,.,;th two home runs and seven doubles; Jacob Townsend (Neshoba Central) hit .441 with one home run and seven doubles; Brian McNeil (Enterprise) hit .421; and MarctiS Davis (Magee) had four home runs. JLm Talley pitched 20 irutings With 19 strikeouts and no walks, and Jonathan Sigrest (Scott Central) was on the mound for 13 innings, strik– ing out 13 batters and allowmg just four walks. Our team also worked very hard in the weight room and on conditioning. We are now a much stronger team mentally and physi– cally." Serving his second year as an assistant to Coach Yarborough is Reggie Richardson. The Diamond Warriors open up with Northeast Mississippi Community College at 2 p.m. Thursday, February 12 in Booneville, and begin home action at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 14 against Jones County Junior College. Both games arc double– headers. ..;

CRAT - ----- NEWTON RECORD-------- MERIDIAN STAR CLARION-LEDGER -------

. -···-- ---------- UNION APPEAL - - - --- - -- WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL _ ___ SPIRIT OF MORTON --'-------- IMPACT _____________ _ _ __