11/22/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University has signed junior college outfielder Matt Richardson of Lawrenceburg, Ky., to a national letter of intent, MSU baseball coach Ron Polk announced Friday.

Richardson is a 6-2, 200-pound standout at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. The right-handed hitting Richardson batted a team-best .378 and paced coach Jerry Halstead's Logan College Volunteers with a club-leading 74 RBI, 18 doubles and 15 home runs. He was tabbed as the 2003 Great Rivers Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year while earning conference all-region and JUCO all-district honors last season.

"What an outstanding addition to our baseball program Matt Richardson will be after he completes his sophomore season at John A. Logan College," said Polk. "He enjoyed a super season his freshman year with this fine junior college baseball program, and we expect he will have an equally productive sophomore season before he carries his great baseball skills to Mississippi State."

Richardson was a three-year letterman and two-time all-district and all-region performer at Anderson County High School in Lawrenceburg, Ky. He batted .410 with 12 home runs as a senior in 2002 and paced coach Tommy Barnes' 2001 Bearcats with a .480 batting average and 14 home runs. He drove in a career-high 50 runs and was named to the 2001 Kentucky East-West High School All-Star Team following his junior season.

"It feels great to be a Bulldog," said Richardson, who was a 2003 teammate of current State junior pitcher Eric Ebers at Logan College.

Richardson, a three-time academic all-state performer in high school, is the son of Ricky and Marianne Richardson of Lawrenceburg, Ky.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/21/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University has signed pitcher/outfielder Mitch Moreland of Amory, Miss., to a national letter of intent, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Thursday.

Moreland is a 6-3, 215-pound left-handed pitcher/outfielder at Amory High School, where he has compiled a remarkable 18-1 record the past two seasons. He earned first-team all-state, all-area, all-district and team MVP honors as a junior after helping lead coach Chad William's AHS Panthers to a 27-9 record and the 2003 Class 3A state championship series. Moreland compiled a .425 batting average with 22 extra-base hits, including seven home runs. The southpaw hurler also posted a 13-1 pitching record with a 1.60 ERA an 130 strikeouts in 73 innings.

"We are always excited when we sign legitimate dual position athletes to baseball scholarships at Mississippi State," said Polk. "Mitch certainly is considered a solid dual position pitcher/outfielder that has displayed outstanding skills both on the mound, on defense and with the bat at Amory High School."

He was 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA and 75 strikeouts and hit .306 his sophomore season at Amory HS, where he was named the team's most valuable pitcher.

"I'm proud to be able to be a part of the Mississippi State baseball program," said Moreland. "Mississippi State has a family environment, great coaches and thousands of loyal fans. You can't ask for much more."

A Principle's List student, Moreland lettered four years and served as team captain in soccer and was a two-year letterman on the AHS football team.

Moreland enjoyed productive seasons of summer and fall baseball in 2003. He compiled a 10-1 record with a 2.13 ERA and 81 strikeouts for the state championship Tupelo 49ers Senior American Legion team and posted a 6-0 mark with a miniscule 0.22 ERA and 40 strikeouts competiing for the 2003 Mississippi Stars fall team.

He is the son of Charles and Angie Moreland of Amory, Miss.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/20/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University has signed pitcher John Lalor of Germantown, Tenn., to a national letter of intent in baseball, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Wednesday.

Lalor is a 6-7, 220-pound right-handed pitcher at Germantown's Houston High School, where he is coached by Lane McCarter. A two-year starter, Lalor averaged better than a strikeout per inning, compiling a 2.69 earned run average while helping guide the Mustangs to a 32-8 record in 2003. He is ranked 143rd among the nation's top prep prospects by Baseball America/Perfect Game USA.

"We are all excited about John Lalor's decision to attend Mississippi State upon graduation from Houston High School," said Polk. "This young man is an outstanding pitcher who we believe will be a tremendous asset to our pitching staff very early in his career as a Bulldog. He comes from an outstanding baseball program at Houston High School."

Lalor played summer league baseball in the Memphis area for Dulin's Dodgers, earning all-tournament team honors as a pitcher in the 2003 B.E.S.T Baseball World Championship Tournament held in Southaven, Miss. He posted a 2.28 earned run average his sophomore season at HHS.

"It's an honor to sign with a school with such a great baseball tradition," said Lalor. "Mississippi State baseball has an excitement that has to be experienced!"

Lalor comes from the same prep baseball program that produced current Bulldog outfielder Jon Mungle.

The MSU signee is the son of Owen and Jean Lalor of Germantown, Tenn., and the younger brother Conor Lalor, a sophomore pitcher at the University of South Carolina.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/19/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University has signed outfielder/first baseman Jeff Flagg of Jacksonville, Fla., to a national letter of intent in baseball, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Tuesday.

Flagg is a 6-5, 235-pound right-handed hitting outfielder/first baseman at Bishop Kenny High School, where he is coached by Bob West, previously a member of the MSU baseball staff. Flagg overcame an early-season injury to hit .368 as a junior, hitting six doubles and three home runs while helping lead the Crusaders to a 28-3 record.

"We continue the great tradition here at Mississippi State signing outstanding players from Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Fla.," said Polk. "Jeff Flagg is a young man who we all look forward to working with as he has a tremendous upside in his baseball skills. He comes highly-recommended by coach Bob West and we liked what we saw of him during our summer baseball camp."

Flagg earned the first of his two varsity letters at Bishop Kenny High School as sophomore outfielder on the Crusader team that captured the 2002 state title.

"It is a tremendous privilege and honor to have the chance to play for such a high class program like Mississippi State and for a legendary coach like Ron Polk," said Flagg. "I'm looking forward to carrying on the rich tradition established by Bishop Kenny graduates at Mississippi State."

Flagg hails from the same high school program that has produced former MSU and current Florida head coach Pat McMahon along with Mississippi State players Jonathan Papelbon, Travis Chapman, Drew Williams, Brian Terry, Tommy Raffo, and Charlie Anderson. Raffo is a member of the MSU coaching staff while Anderson presently serves as an assistant coach at Bishop Kenny High School.

The MSU signee is the son of Chris and Esther Flagg of Jacksonville, Fla.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/18/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University has signed third baseman/pitcher Chad Crosswhite of Brandon, Miss., to a national letter of intent in baseball, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Monday.

Crosswhite is a 6-1, 200-pound right-handed hitting infielder/pitcher at MadisonRidgeland Academy. His junior year he batted .379 and posted a 9-2 pitching record with a splendid 1.06 earned run average, helping lead coach Randy Palmer's MRA Patriots to a 22-6 record and the Academy North AAA District Championship. Crosswhite drove in 35 runs and led his team with 11 doubles and six home runs en route to all-conference, first-team MPSA All-State and second-team Jackson Clarion-Ledger All-Metro honors.

"What a tremendous addition to our university and baseball program Chad Crosswhite will be as a dual position player," said Polk. "He is a quality pitcher in addition to being a fine third baseman who has enjoyed a stellar career at Madison-Ridgeland Academy."

Crosswhite is a four-year starting infielder, beginning in the eighth grade at Leake Academy. He earned the first of two all-conference honors as a sophomore at MRA in 2002, batting .345 and compiling a team-best 4.61 earned run average. He also started for the Patriots' 2001 club as a freshman, earning junior varsity MVP honors and helping lead MRA to a runner-up finish in the state playoffs.

"It has always been a dream of mine to play SEC baseball at Mississippi State," said Crosswhite. "Being able to play for coach Polk and the rest of his coaching staff is a great honor and a dream come true."

Crosswhite is an honor roll student and a member of both the Key Club and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He has also excelled in other sports, lettering three seasons while helping lead MRA to district and state basketball titles in 2002 and 2003, and earning two letters as a quarterback for the football Patriots.

The MSU signee is the son of Allen and Jane Crosswhite of Brandon, Miss.

Source: MSU Media Relations

11/14/03
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University has signed all-state catcher Ed Easley of Olive Branch, Miss., to a national letter of intent in baseball, MSU head baseball coach Ron Polk announced Thursday.

Easley is a 6-2, 175-pound right-handed hitting catcher at Olive Branch High School. A three-time all-conference performer, Easley hit .469 with 44 hits, including 24 doubles, three triples and eight home runs for coach Jeff Munier's OBHS Conquistadors. He also registered 12 stolen bases and for the second year earned Memphis Commercial Appeal "Best of the Preps" honors while helping lead Olive Branch to a 29-7 record in 2003.

"The Mississippi State University baseball family is so excited that Ed Easley has signed a national letter of intent with our university and baseball program," said Polk. "Ed is not only an outstanding catcher and hitter, but he is also a super student and an equally great young man. He will have a bright future at Mississippi State, both on the baseball field and in the classroom."

Easley hit .500 with 36 RBI and 22 extra-base hits and nine stolen bases as a sophomore in 2002. He owns a .456 career batting average with 47 doubles, 16 home runs and 103 RBI as a three-year starter at OBHS.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to play baseball at Mississippi State," said Easley.

The MSU baseball signee is an honor roll student at Olive Branch High School. He is the son of Mike and Tanna Easley of Olive Branch.

Source: MSU Media Relations