From School Reports
The Meridian Community College baseball team has had a long
standing tradition of sending its players to the next level and four more
players can now say they are among the elite. The MCC baseball team held a
special signing ceremony in the Castell Gallery Wednesday afternoon on campus
to recognize the four young men that have officially signed national letters of
intent with the university of their choice.
Jonathan Porter (University of West Alabama), Dalton Thomas
(University of Arkansas-Little Rock), Bryant Johnston (Delta State University),
and Jake Smith (Nicholls State University) made it official Wednesday afternoon
during the ceremony with family, friends, and teammates in attendance.
“Dalton, Jake, Bryant, and Jonathan signing to continue
their baseball careers and education is not just a great day for our program,
but also for Meridian Community College,” said MCC head coach Dillon Sudduth.
“From the administration to professors, and everyone that has been involved in
these young men’s two years at MCC should be proud.”
Porter will be taking his talents to the Gulf South
Conference next season to be a part of the squad at the University of West
Alabama. Porter, a former Clarkdale star, saw significant time on the mound
last season for the Eagles. Porter finished 2014 with a 2-3 record and complied
a 4.05 ERA for the Eagles who finished runner-up in the 2014 Region 23
Tournament. Porter collected 38 strikeouts in 40 innings, while earning one
save out of the bullpen. Porter enjoyed a great high school career under the
direction of head coach Scott Gibson at Clarkdale High School. Porter finished
his senior year at Clarkdale with a 9-1 record and a 1.06 ERA for the Bulldogs,
while collecting 92 strikeouts in just over 59 innings pitched. Porter ended
his senior season for Clarkdale with eight complete games and four shutout
wins, to go along with a no-hitter at one point in his career. Porter will look
to help boost the pitching staff at UWA next season after the Tigers finished
the 2014 campaign with a 27-18 overall record and 15-12 in GSC action.
Dalton Thomas also made his intentions known Wednesday
afternoon by signing with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Thomas
will be joining former MCC head coach Chris Curry next season to try and boost
the lineup for the Trojans. Curry was named the head coach at Arkansas-Little
Rock back during the summer after spending two seasons as the pitching coach at
Northwestern State University. Thomas should bring plenty of pop to the lineup
after having a superb 2014 season for the Eagles. Thomas finished the season
with a .323 batting average, seven homers, and 34 RBI’s for MCC head coach
Dillon Sudduth. Thomas primarily played in the outfield and at first base last
season for MCC.
Sophomore Bryant Johnston also joined the signing class
Wednesday afternoon and inked with in-state power Delta State University.
Johnston was a key factor out of the bullpen for MCC in 2014 and should make an
immediate impact for the Statesmen. Johnston finished the season with a 3-2
record and recorded four saves out of the pen. Johnston complied a 3.93 ERA and
collected 49 strikeouts, to go along with 22 appearances out of pen for the
green and white.
Sophomore Jake Smith was the final player to sign his
national letter of intent Wednesday afternoon by inking with Nicholls State
University in Thibodaux, LA. Smith finished the 2014 season for MCC with a 3-4
record and a 4.85 ERA. Smith finished with 43 strikeouts and worked just over
42 innings on the mound in 2014 for the Eagles.
