Local players sign college baseball scholarships

Published 11:45 am Tuesday, January 21, 2014

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / Brookhaven Academy outfielder Steven Williams has signed a baseball scholarship with the Southwest Community College Bears. Present for the ceremony were his parents (seated), Sheila and Steve Williams, his sister Alessia Tucker, (standing from left) Brookhaven Academy coach Casey Edwards and assistant coach David Gilbert.

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / Brookhaven Academy outfielder Steven Williams has signed a baseball scholarship with the Southwest Community College Bears. Present for the ceremony were his parents (seated), Sheila and Steve Williams, his sister Alessia Tucker, (standing from left) Brookhaven Academy coach Casey Edwards and assistant coach David Gilbert.

Several local high school players were very excited to have the chance to extend their baseball careers at the college level as friends, families and faculty members gathered in their school libraries to show support for their beloved players’ special moments.

Brock Roberts of Bogue Chitto, Brady Wilson of West Lincoln, Steven Williams and Bailey Warren of Brookhaven Academy and Kewaun May of Lawrence County were all smiles as they signed their letters of intent for that special college last week.

Roberts,  a 6-foot, 190-pound right-hander, signed a scholarship to play baseball for the Pearl Rivers Wildcats Wednesday afternoon. In his junior year, Roberts posted 3.54 ERA on the mound for the Bobcats and had a .278 batting average.

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“I am extremely proud of Brock,” said BC coach Russ Carter. “Brock is a great kid and is well deserving of this opportunity to play ball at the collegiate level. Pearl River is getting a great player for to their team.”

In the meantime, Roberts is ready to give Bogue Chitto’s coach Russ Carter his best effort in his senior year as the Bobcats gets ready for the upcoming season.

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / Bogue Chitto's pitcher/outfielder Brock Roberts signs a baseball scholarship with the Pearl River Community College Wildcats. With him are (seated) his mother, Debbie Roberts, (standing from left) BC baseball coach Russ Carter and BC football coach Gareth Sartin.

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / Bogue Chitto’s pitcher/outfielder Brock Roberts signs a baseball scholarship with the Pearl River Community College Wildcats. With him are (seated) his mother, Debbie Roberts, (standing from left) BC baseball coach Russ Carter and BC football coach Gareth Sartin.

Wilson,  a right-handed pitcher for the Bears, was excited to sign his name on the dotted line to play baseball for the Southwest Bears. For his career at West Lincoln, before entering into his senior year, Wilson has a .333 batting average with 32 RBIs, 11 double and 3 home runs.

On the mound, he is currently posting a 4.26 ERA in 103.1 innings pitched and has 116 strikeouts.

“Southwest is getting a great player,” said West Lincoln coach Steve Barrington. “Brady is one of our hardest workers and is well deserving of this opportunity. He has enormous potential and upside for the next level of baseball.”

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT /  West Lincoln pitcher Brady Wilson has signed a baseball scholarship with the Southwest Community College Bears. Present for the ceremony were his parents, (seated) Anita and Jason Wilson, and (standing, from left) West Lincoln coach Steve Barrington and Brady's sister, Bailey Wilson.

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / West Lincoln pitcher Brady Wilson has signed a baseball scholarship with the Southwest Community College Bears. Present for the ceremony were his parents, (seated) Anita and Jason Wilson, and (standing, from left) West Lincoln coach Steve Barrington and Brady’s sister, Bailey Wilson.

Williams,  a right-handed outfielder from Pike County, had his dreams come true Thursday as he is the first African-American from Brookhaven Academy to accept a scholarship to play baseball for the Southwest Bears. He will also will be the first African-American graduate from BA.

Williams batted a .442 in his junior year with 3 home runs, 6 doubles, 15 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He is supporting a .551 on base percentages.

“Steven is proof that if you work hard you will have a chance,” said BA coach Casey Edwards. “We are all very proud of him, and we look forward to seeing him excel at the next level.”

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / Brookhaven Academy pitcher/infielder Bailey Warren has signed a baseball scholarship with the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves. Present for the ceremony were his parents, (seated) Cathy and Scott Warren; (standing, from left) Brookhaven Academy coach Casey Edwards, and assistant coach David Gilbert.

DAILY LEADER / MARTY ALBRIGHT / Brookhaven Academy pitcher/infielder Bailey Warren has signed a baseball scholarship with the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves. Present for the ceremony were his parents, (seated) Cathy and Scott Warren; (standing, from left) Brookhaven Academy coach Casey Edwards, and assistant coach David Gilbert.

Warren,  a right-hand pitcher, has accepted a scholarship to play baseball for the Co-Lin Wolves. Bailey Warren will be wearing a different type of a blue and white color jersey this year as he begins his senior baseball season as a Cougars.

In his junior season as a Wesson Cobra, he posted a .354 batting average with 19 RBIs and 9 doubles. On the mound, he finished with an 8-2 record and a 2.53 ERA.

“Bailey has been a pleasure to coach so far his senior year,” said Edwards. “We are looking forward to him playing a major role for us this year offensively and defensively, as well as on the mound. He will be a great player for the Co-Lin’s baseball team.”

May, signed a baseball scholarship with Copiah Lincoln Community College. Kewaun only played part of the season as a junior because of an injury he suffered during preseason practice.

His batting average was .344 with 1 double, 1 triple, and 8 stolen bases. “Kewaun is a great kid to coach,” said Lawrence County coach Corey Keyes. “Not only is he a good player, he is a good kid. I’m excited for him to get a chance to keep playing baseball in college while he furthers his education.”

DAILY LEADER / PHOTO SUBMITTED / Lawrence County's Kewuan May has signed a baseball scholarship with the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves. Present for the ceremony were his mother, Felisha May; (standing, from left) Lawrence County assistant coach Craig Davis; Kewuan's sister Shania Harris; and Lawrence County head coach Corey Keyes.

DAILY LEADER / PHOTO SUBMITTED / Lawrence County’s Kewuan May has signed a baseball scholarship with the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wolves. Present for the ceremony were his mother, Felisha May; (standing, from left) Lawrence County assistant coach Craig Davis; Kewuan’s sister Shania Harris; and Lawrence County head coach Corey Keyes.