The Final Four is set for this weekend in New Orleans. We will see Duke Coach K in his record 13th Final Four go up against his rivals from North Carolina. Also, top seeded Kansas will meet Villanova in the other Saturday matchup. The winners will meet next Monday night in the championship game.
Tennessee (23-1, 6-0) went into Oxford and swept the top-ranked Ole Miss Rebels (16-7, 2-4) this past weekend. The Rebels have a couple of mid week games against North Alabama and Memphis before heading to Kentucky (17-8, 2-4) this weekend. Mississippi State (15-10, 3-3) won two-of-three from Alabama (14-11, 2-4). This week the Bulldogs will take on Memphis on Tuesday and then head to Arkansas (18-4, 5-1) for the weekend.
Southern Mississippi (17-7, 5-1) went 4-0 last week, which included a C-USA road sweep of Western Kentucky (9-14, 1-5). In the opening game of the Western Kentucky series, headman Scott Berry registered his 450thGolden Eagle coaching win. Berry (452-244-1) now trails Corky Palmer (458) by six victories for second place in USM baseball history behind the all-time win leader Hill Denson (468-386-1). USM will host Louisiana Tech (18-6, 5-1) beginning Friday night against former USM and MSU assistant coach Lane Burroughs. The Meridian native has led the Bulldogs since 2017. Burroughs was an assistant from 1999-2007 at USM and from 2009-2012 at MSU. Tech downed LSU last week and then swept Florida International.
The fastest man in baseball Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton has signed on with Seattle. Hamilton played this past Saturday in an exhibition game as he had a hit and stole a base in trying to stick with the Mariners.
The William Carey Crusaders will travel to Mississippi College this Wednesday in a matchup of old rivals. The Crusaders also travel to MGM Park to take on the Mississippi Shuckers in an exhibition game on April 6. The Mississippi Braves will open their Double–A South schedule by hosting Montgomery on April 8 at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The Mississippi Shuckers open their season on April 8 in Pensacola before hosting the Braves on April 12 at MGM Park.
The Mississippi JUCO baseball circuit has four teams ranked in the Top 10 in the NJCAA coaches poll. Two of the best met in Poplaville this past week with No. 3 Pearl River sweeping No. 5 East Central. Also listed in the poll are No. 7 Meridian and No. 10 Northeast. The ladies’ softball teams are not taking a back seat as Co-Lin is ranked third, followed by No. 4 Itawamba, No. 5 Jones and No. 8 Pearl River in the NJCAA rankings. Co-Lin hosts Jones this Wednesday in a key South Division contest.
The William Carey softball team has won 21 straight games in improving to 31-3 on the season. The Lady Crusaders will host Mobile this Friday in Hattiesburg. The Lady Blazers (20-3) of Belhaven are 8-3 against Top 25 opposition on the year.
Football News
The Southern Mississippi football Golden Eagles will hold their spring football game this Saturday at 10 a.m. in M.M. Roberts Stadium. Fans can make a day of it as the Eagles baseball team will also play that day as they host C-USA baseball rival in Louisiana Tech at 2 p.m.
Former Ole Miss football coach David Cutcliffe (1998-2004) was named the Special Assistant to the Commissioner for football relations. Cutcliffe recently retired as the head coach at Duke University. He was the SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 and was voted twice the ACC Coach of the Year.
Vicksburg native Malcolm Butler has signed a two-year football contract with his old team New England. Butler has played 100 games in the NFL in New England and Tennessee.
The Mississippi Raiders demolished the Carolina Predators, 60-8, in arena football action at the Mississippi Coliseum. This Saturday the Raiders will travel to St. Charles before returning home to host Las Vegas on April 12.
Dale has been writing sports in Mississippi since 1973. Listen to Dale’s Brouhaha Sports Show with Marshall Wood each Tuesday at 6 p.m. on WABO FM 105.5 in the Waynesboro area. Pine Belt FCA Director Mitchell Williams will visit with Dale and Marshall this week. To listen to the broadcast on your computer or smart phone anywhere in the world, go to Google Chrome; go to wabo105.com and click listen live. You may also go to The Brouhaha on YouTube and listen to archived shows.
