Sudduth held Eagles together during uncertainty

By Daniel Rigdon / Sports Writer The Meridian Star

MERIDIAN — After the departure of Chris Rose on June 10, the Meridian Community College administration entrusted assistant coach Dillon Sudduth with the management of the Eagles baseball program until it could find a replacement. Sudduth, who has been coaching at MCC since 2007, didn't disappoint.

Along with continuing to build Meridian's recruiting class, Sudduth, who applied for the head coaching position as well, had to be sure that his returning players were committed to coming back for the 2011 season.

"The players were awesome through the whole ordeal," said Sudduth. "I basically just had to let them know that whether I got the head coaching job or not, that the administration was going to do the best thing for the program and were going to do right by them. I told them if it wasn't going to be me than it was going to be somebody that they could believe in. Those guys have just been awesome through the whole thing and have stuck with me and the administration and people in the community were a big help to me during the transition period and pulling everything together. I thank everybody who helped me during that time.”

According to returning players, Sudduth was a big reason they decided to stay after Rose left for East Mississippi Community College.

"I don't really know that much about coach (Chris) Curry," said former West Lauderdale star Dustin McWilliams. "I've read up about him on the internet when I found out. I just met him a little while ago and he seems like a really nice guy. If Dillon would not have stayed I more than likely would have left, ya know. He gives you that familiar face and I really like him. He's been a big help."

"That's something else I told the guys," added Sudduth. "If I didn't believe in coach Curry or what he is gonna do here then I wouldn't be staying with him. I said that should show yall something right there."

Sudduth's decision to stay is a combination of a love for the MCC program and a belief and common thread with Curry.

"Coach Curry and I share a lot of the same principles and philosophies as far as where we want to take the program," noted Sudduth. "He brings a lot of experience to the table. He has got to learn under some good coaches in the SEC and as far as knowing the game goes he's got that down. We communicate real well, he brings a lot of energy and he is hungry."

Sudduth was a part of MCC's 2004 and 2005 teams. The Eagles made it to the JUCO World Series in 2004 and won the MACJC State Championship in 2005.

Sudduth then went on to continue his playing career at Southeastern Louisiana University. He followed by serving as a student assistant with the Lions before returning to MCC.