BUDE : After months of weighing options on which college he’llattend next fall. Franklin County standout Cole Zumbro made hisplans official Friday afternoon, by signing a scholarship with theCopiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves.

Zumbro, a 6-foot-2 right-hander from Eddiceton, in the northernwoods of Franklin County, hopes to bring as much excitement toCo-Lin baseball as he did to the Franklin County Bulldogs over hispast four years.

“It’s going to be a change,” said a confident Zumbro. “It willbe good to see if I can adjust to a different level of baseball.Overall I’ll see another challenge for me to take on.”

Zumbro, who hit 34 home runs in his four-year career with theBulldogs, aims at another goal of being a Co-Lin starter nextseason in gaining a National Junior College AThletic AssociationWorld Series ring during his two years at the Wesson campus.

“I want a championship very badly,” continued Zumbro. “I didn’tget one in high school, and that hurts because I’ve saw a lot ofplayers I’ve played with packed with rings all over theirfingers.”

Co-Lin baseball coach Keith Case also thinks Zumbro will have aninstant impact on the Wolves’ diamond plans in 2002.

“Cole’s a very smart ball player,” said Case. “We’re extremelyhappy to have him aboard for next year’s team. He’ll have an impacton our team from swinging the bat to helping us on the mound.”

Case went on to say that Zumbro’s senior season injuries reallyovershadowed the fact that Zumbro has hit 13 home runs inback-to-back season. Zumbro was The Daily Leader’s All-AreaPlayer of the Year in 2000.

“He had a good junior and senior season,” said Case.”Despite all the back problems, he still managed 13 home runsduring a difficult senior year.”

Zumbro’s senior season consisted of a .509 batting averageon 33 RBI’s, 13 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Zumbro helped theDawgs to a 12-11 record and the runners-up spot in Division 6-3Aaction. Zumbro missed three games during the season with severelower back spasms.

“I think if it wasn’t for his late season injury and all therainouts we didn’t make up, he would have broke the state’s singleseason home run record,” said longtime Bulldog coach Johnny Monroe.”I see him fitting into Co-Lin’s plans as a strong-armed closer anda pure-hitting first baseman.”

Zumbro’s sharpest pitch is the fastball. Zumbro was clockedat 92 mph at last summer’s state games tryouts at Wesson. Zumbrohelped the District Seven all-stars to a third place bronze medalfinish in the eight team tournament.

Zumbro was also a member of the state national team theMississippi Stars that played against multiple statewide teams fromthe south and all across the nation. Zumbro attracted many collegerecruiters while playing with the Stars. He attracted MississippiState head coach Pat McMahon with two ceterfield blasts whileplaying a game at Starkville during last September.

Zumbro’s plans before going to Co-Lin are to get strongerthrough lifting weights and physical training, before reporting toCo-Lin. He also plans on playing some more baseball in theMississippi Class 1A-2A-3A North/South All-Star game, held June 9.at Hattiesburg. He is undecided on a major.

Overall, Zumbro hopes that his success will continue atanother level as he takes the first step in reaching his goal toplay professionally in the majors.