MCC’s Parks named pre season All American, Eagles open up home slate with Rush Inv

MERIDIAN, Miss. - The national honors keep coming in for the Meridian Community College baseball team which started the season ranked No. 9 in the NJCAA Div. II baseball poll.

Eagle sophomore infielder, Jarrod Parks, was named to the pre season NJCAA All America team this week.

Parks, who signed to play with Tulane University next season, is one of seven returning players from the 2007 Eagle squad that went 41-15 and won the MACJC Central Division championship.

“Jarrod deserves this simply due to his outstanding hard work and his stats from last year,” MCC head coach Chris Rose said.

“Now he just has to continue to play well and show those that voted that he is worthy of this honor.”

Parks batted for a .408 average last season second only to the NJCAA baseball player of the year, then Eagle sophomore, Tyler Moore. He was third on the team with seven homeruns, also scoring 37 runs with 60 hits, including nine doubles and three triples. His 40 RBI was also third best on the team and he reached safely 10 out of 12 stolen base attempts. As a member of Madison Central, he was named to the Clarion-Ledger Dandy Dozen, along with being named to the National Amateur Baseball Federation National Team where he was a two time All-World Series selection and named the NABF World Series MVP. He was also a two time All District, All Metro and All State selection for MCHS.

The Eagles (1-3) play their home opener Friday against Southeastern Illinois Community College at noon in game one of the Rush Tournament played at Scaggs Field.

“It’s been a slow start for us so far,” Rose said.

“But we look forward to getting back home at Scaggs Field this weekend. We scored 11 runs in our last outing, which is a positive.”

Friday’s home opener will be the first of eight games over the weekend of the Rush Tournament.

Following their noon game with SE Illinois, MCC will face Wabash (IL) Valley College at 3:00 p.m. Wabash Valley and Wallace-Hanceville will play the nightcap on Friday at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday will feature three games beginning at 11:00 a.m., with Wallace-Hanceville playing SE Illinios, then Pearl River Community College facing off against Wabash Valley and then the Saturday nightcap features SE Illinois versus Pearl River.

MCC will return to action Sunday as they face SE Illinois at noon and then Wabash Valley at 3:00 p.m.

The Eagles remain at home following the Rush Tournament, hosting Pensacola Junior College Feb. 22.