Morris Grant of Terry, a sophomore outfielder on the Hinds Community College, was named to the All-Region and All-State first team on Tuesday, as voted on by the baseball coaches in the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC).
Grant also recently signed a baseball scholarship with Delta State University in Cleveland for the 2012 season.
Grant led the Eagles offensively all season, finishing with a team high in batting average (.421), at-bats (121), hits (51), total bases (70), slugging percentage (.579), on-base percentage (.489), and tied for the team lead in doubles (eight). He also finished 12-17 in stolen bases.
Grant, who served as team captain as a sophomore, was given the Best Offensive Player award during the school's athletic banquet as well.
“Being named to the All-Region and All-State teams, along with signing with Delta State, are great honors for Morris,” said Hinds head coach Sam Temple.
“He is the total package, as he comes from a great family, does well in school and is an outstanding baseball player as well.”
The Eagles also had three honorees on the All-State second team. Tyler Akins of Madison, Alex Gunn of Clinton and Pierson Waring of Vicksburg all made the team for their stellar play.
Akins, a freshman outfielder/pitcher who earned the team MVP award, hit .333 and led the team with 28 runs scored, while leading the team in home runs (five) and RBI (27), and tying with Grant for the team lead in doubles with eight. He also finished eight-for-nine in stolen bases.
Akins also finished 6-4 with a 3.57 ERA in a team-leading 49 innings on the mound. He threw two complete games and collected a save, all while only walking 12 batters all season.
Gunn, a freshman pitcher/infielder who earned the Most Outstanding Pitcher award, had an outstanding freshman campaign for the Eagles, as he finished 7-1 with a 2.62 ERA and two complete games to his credit, all team highs.
Gunn, a left hander, only walked six batters all year, and finished with 33 strikeouts.
Waring, a freshman infielder, finished his first season with a .363 batting average, five doubles, a team-leading four triples, one home run and 17 RBI. He also finished a perfect eight-for-eight in stolen bases.
