2006

eaching new \~itrtiors looking to rq?eat as Region 23 cha 1 ?1pions

:umin~ the pro– first Region 23, Divi- 1 champiOnship, the Central Communitv VO.Ulc-15" baseball team has 1 Jghts on captur· - a state utle and arlvanc· m t the JUCO Wol"ld Seri ~ Jak Yarborough, v. ho begms hiS flfth sea on n~ the ECCC head sk1ppc1~ is hopmg that u breeds ruccess, and that U1c 2006 squad '" 111 be able to hang anotherchamp1 nship ban· ner m th Bl'ackeen-\\bod Pm ·cal Edu uon Build· ing East Central " n its first stat t1 tl U1 1998 "\\ehm a b ing nude and icy inconnng fi I feel could d ' another cham~•---,_ squad,.. satd ~r.,-.+on ......... who recel\ed coaching honors ing the Diamond \\<>......,,n>"'<... 1 Super Hegional en rout t a 29·23 record. Yarborough further stated that thi year's Diamond Warriors "are a solid hitting team with team speed and a solid defense." Thi year' squad includes 17 players from the champion"hip 2005 sea– son, including catcher· Th)lor Petty of 1 ~eshoba Central and Ken Gordon of ionon: third baseman James Hanis of Morton; nd ba:,eman Sam Tham of Newton County Acaden1y; f~st basemen Ross Pme of Ll\e Oak High School m \\ 1 atson, La.• and \'\ es Cox of Forest; third baseman frr t baseman DaVld Frey of Nanih Wat~a: outfielders Will Pearson of Newton County and Josh Hawkins of Por· est: and right-handed pitch· to the region CI'O\\n trip to the NJCAA Dt\

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\\ ill be us 0~ Pett}: who post average with run, four doub!es RBis in 2005. 15 ren1rning sluggez: was also the rop ing fall competiuon

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.467 average. Also ~'l'n ... productive fall ~~ were Pearson. who priEtfrl a .381 average, and freshman short stop Jordan~ lbinson of Union. who batted ~ Other top sluggen. from the fall campaign Ltclude outfielder Luke Baugh of Morton and second base– man Jacob Thames of

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Dusty Hillman begins :;erond season as asru: coach and Marlo G new addition to the ing staff. Josh Yeager Newton Countv sen-es as student assista....t. Managers are Kevin Gregf'lry of Nanih Waiya and Brian Deel of East Rankin Academ}:

bat· ters m 2006 and posted a 2-4 mark. Yarborough said top freslm1an hw ier~ include rigl1t·hancters Maurice Bankston of Crossett (Ark.) High School. Joe Patterson