The boys of summer return as Major League baseball Opening Day is this Thursday. The Atlanta Braves, the defending National League East Division champs, may be in the strongest division in MLB. The Braves will have competition within the division from the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals and New York Mets. The East will be a wild ride in 2019.
Richton’s Jacoby Jones injured his shoulder and will miss the first month of the MLB season. Jones was projected to be the starting centerfielder for the Detroit Tigers. Taylorsville’s Billy Hamilton will be the opening day centerfielder for the Kansas City Royals. Hamilton hit .294 in 19 spring training games for the Royals. Former Meridian Community College star Corey Dickerson ended the spring with a .424 batting average for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dickerson is coming off a 2018 season in which he hit .300 and won the Gold Glove.
WILLIAM CAREY
IN FINAL 4
William Carey University is making its 13th rip to Kansas City and the NAIA National Tournament. The Crusaders are now in the Final Four for the first time in school history. The 14th seeded Crusaders will take on top seed Georgetown College (Ky.) in the semifinals.
The Crusaders overcame an 18-point deficit against Oklahoma University of Arts & Sciences in a 102-98 overtime win Saturday. The Steve Knight-led Crusaders won their opener over Peru State (Neb.), 95-89, and then edged Mid-American Christian of Oklahoma, 62-60, in the quarterfinals. Tougaloo College made their first trip to the NAIA national tournament but fell to Mid-American, 73-64.
USM PERFECT
IN C-USA PLAY
The USM Golden Eagles (15-6) rolled to their eighth straight win and improved to 6-0 in C-USA play as they swept Old Dominion this past weekend. The Eagles will travel to UTSA this weekend. Ole Miss (17-8) lost two of three at Missouri to fall to 3-3 in SEC play. The Rebels travel to Arkansas this weekend. Mississippi State (22-3) won a 20-15 Sunday slugfest with Auburn this weekend to win the series and improve to 4-2 in SEC play. The Bulldogs will host LSU beginning on Thursday night.
LADY BULLDOGS
CONTINUE ROLL
The Lady Bulldogs (32-2) won easily over Southern University and Clemson to advance to the Sweet 16 in Portland, Oregon. The Lady Bulldogs’ next action will be against Arizona State Friday night. The West Region championship game is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
The Ole Miss (20-13) and Mississippi State (23-11) basketball seasons came to an abrupt ending this past week in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Ole Miss was making their ninth NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2015. MSU was making their 12th appearance in the NCAA and first since 2009. Four SEC teams made the Sweet 16 as LSU, Tennessee, Kentucky and Auburn all won two games to advance in the tournament.
ODDS & ENDS
— The USM Lady Golden Eagles (18-13) won their opening game over Nicholls State in the WBI tournament and was scheduled to play North Alabama next. The USM Golden Eagles (19-13) lost to Longwood (Va.) in their only game in the CBI tournament.
— William Carey University inducted the 1969 National Championship baseball team and the 2018 National Championship women’s soccer team into their Sports Hall of Fame. The entire 1969 team was on hand for the celebration this past weekend.
— Mississippi College has hired a familiar face in Athletic Director Mike Jones. He will return to his former position as head coach of the basketball team. Jones in 17 previous seasons won 332 games.
— Two SEC basketball coaches in Alabama’s Avery Johnson and Vandy’s Bryce Drew were dismissed.
Dale McKee is a longtime sportswriter from Waynesboro and writes a weekly column about Mississippi sports for several weekly newspapers. McKee can be reached by email at ddmckee18@yahoo.com.
