HS Baseball Championships Ready To Begin The High School baseball championships are scheduled to get underway Thursday in Jackson. Tupelo plays for a 5A title that gets underway against Ocean Springs. In 3A action, it's Mooreville taking on Sumrall. Game one is Friday at one. Hamilton plays in 2A action Saturday at one against Richton. And in 1A, Ingomar will take on East Webser with game one getting underway Friday at 4:00pm.

ICC Falls In Region 23 Opener Number five Itawamba Community College was defeated in game one of the Region 23 Tournament in Poplarville by second ranked LSU-Eunice, 9-0. The Indians committed three errors in the first four innings that led to three unearned runs and a 5-0 deficit. First-team All-Region 23 right handed starting pitcher Ryan Boudreaux (10-1) threw a complete game 4-hit shutout for the Bengals. ICC All-State pitcher Jason Howell (8-5), who threw a 8 inning 4-hit, 2 run gem in eliminating then number one ranked and defending national champion LSU-Eunice in last season's regional in Meridian, was tagged for the loss. "LSU-Eunice is a very good team, but we didn't play like the nation's fifth best team today," said ICC head coach Rick Collier, whose squad falls to 36-14 on the year, while the Louisiana state champs improved to 45-11. "We made three costly errors early on and you can't do that against a number two ranked team that's loaded with that kind of talent." Collier added his team must hit the ball tomorrow when it faces the winner of tonight's 7:00 p.m. scheduled game between host Pearl River and Northeast. A bright spot for the Indians is they'll throw the unanamous first team All-Region 23 left handed starting pitcher Chris Hilliard of Ecru tomorrow. There was some good news to report from the ICC baseball camp on Wednesday as former Indian standout outfielder Jonathon Van Every of Brandon became the first player in the history of Itawamba CC baseball to get the call to the big leagues. The former all-state and all-Region 23 centerfielder in 2000 and 2001 for ICC got the call this morning and flew to Baltimore in time to start in centerfield for the defending world champion, Boston Red Sox. "We have had some good centerfielders through the years," said Collier, who was an assistant to then ICC head coach Chuck Box during Van Every's two years at Itawamba. "But in talking with our other (ICC head) coaches through the years, we all agree that you've got to put Jonathon, if not at the top of the list, then he's one of the best we've ever had in the history of our program." Van Every, who made the 40 man Boston roster last winter, went 1-3 with a single in the Red Sox 6-3 loss at Baltimore.

Polk Names Bowen Starter Mississippi State Head Baseball Coach Ron Polk has announced Ricky Bowen will start for the Diamond Dawgs in Thursday's game against Arkansas. This marks the final series for the legendary coach who despite not going to Omaha this season is hoping the team can send him out a winner against an SEC West rival. First pitch between the Hogs and Bulldogs is scheduled for 6:30 pm at Dudy Noble Field.

Perrilloux Reportedly Picks Jacksonville St Former LSU quarterback Ryan Perrilloux has told The Birmingham News he will sign with Jacksonville State University. Perilloux was dismissed from the defending national champions by coach Les Miles after a series of rules violations. He visited with Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe and others at the school Tuesday. He told the News his only other visit was to Alabma A&M in Huntsville.

Rebels Gear Up For SEC Track Meet Following a week of rest after an impressive Mississippi Open at the Ole Miss Track and Field Complex, the Ole Miss track and field teams head to Auburn to take part in the SEC Outdoor Championships beginning Thursday from the Hutsell-Rosen Track. Action kicks off Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. with the women’s heptathlon 100 meter hurdles. Running events begin Friday evening at 6:00 p.m. with the women’s 800 meters, while field events are slated to begin Friday at 5:00 p.m. with the men’s hammer throw. The Lady Rebels enter the weekend ranked 19th in the nation in the latest polls and feature several competitors capable of scoring in their respective events. In running events, the Lady Rebels feature the top two 400 meter runners in the SEC in senior Kenyata Coleman and freshman LaJada Baldwin. Coleman paces the SEC and ranks fifth in the nation with her best time of 52.35 she posted at the Mississippi Open, while Baldwin is second in the conference and 10th in the nation with her time of 52.91. In the 100 meter hurdles, senior Kasey McDaniel is ranked sixth in the SEC and 21st in the nation with a time of 13.39 set at the Florida Relays. In addition to all the individuals, the Lady Rebel 4x100 meter relay ranks sixth in the SEC and 25th in the nation with its best time of 44.70 set at the Mississippi Open. The 4x400 meter relay team also stands in sixth place in the conference with a time of 3:38.99. Junior Brittney Reese paces the Lady Rebels in field events as she ranks first in the SEC and the nation in the long jump with a mark of 22-09.00 set at the LSU Alumni Gold. In fact, Reese has won the long jump in every meet in which she has competed this year. She also ranks second in the SEC and seventh in the nation in the high jump with her top mark of 05-11.25 also set at the LSU Alumni Gold. Senior jumper Carmia Carroll also provides the Lady Rebels with an excellent chance at scoring as she ranks fourth in the SEC and is tied for 27th nationally in the high jump with a mark of 05-08.75. Carroll also ranks fourth in the conference in the triple jump following her mark of 40-11.50 she recently set at the Mississippi Open. Freshman Rachel Jenkins adds depth in the triple jump as she currently ranks eighth in the SEC with her top mark of 39-03.75. Freshman thrower Betty Williams looks to score in two events as she finds herself among the league’s best in both the shot put and discus. Williams ranks fourth in the SEC and 35th in the nation in the shot put with her school record mark of 50-05.50 she recorded at the Mississippi Open. She also ranks eighth in the conference in the discus with a school record mark of 157-01.00 set at the Southern Miss Invitational. In addition, sophomore Davina Orieukwu is sixth in the SEC in the shot put with a mark of 49-06.25, and is eight in the conference in the hammer throw with her top mark of 173-03.00. In the javelin, juniors Marlee Kevech and Susan Legatova rank seventh and eighth in the conference respectively. Kevech owns a top mark of 144-06.00, while Legatova’s best throw this year came at the Ole Miss Invitational with a distance of 137-03.00. On the men’s side, the Rebels enter the championships ranked 62nd in the nation in the latest national poll. Like the women’s team, the Rebels feature several competitors with the ability to score points in several different events.Senior Rickie Bratton enters the weekend ranked seventh in the SEC and 18th in the nation in the 100 meters with his time of 10.32 set at the Ole Miss Invitational. Bratton also ranks fifth in the SEC and 34th in the country in the 200 meters with a time of 20.90. Junior Barnabas Kirui stands in fourth place in the conference and 22nd in the nation in the 3000 meter steeplechase with his time of 8:52.56 set at the Drake Relays. In the 110 meter hurdles, senior John Yarbrough is fourth in the SEC and ninth in the country with his time of 13.62 recorded at the Florida Relays. Freshman Lee Ellis Moore finds himself ranked eighth in the league in the 400 meter hurdles following his personal best time of 51.16 he collected at the Mississippi Open. The Rebels also feature two of the SEC’s top jumpers in sophomore Justin Gunn and junior Wale Odetunde. Gunn is fourth in the SEC and tied for 22nd in the nation in the long jump with his top mark of 25-03.25 recorded at the Florida Relays. Gunn is also eighth in the league in the triple jump with a distance of 48-04.50 at the Alabama Relays. Odetunde stands second in the SEC 18th in the nation in the triple jump with a mark of 51-09.75 at the Alabama Relays. He also ranks sixth in the conference in the long jump with a mark of 25-02.00.