HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss baseball coach Scott Berry announced Friday the addition of nine student-athletes for the 2019 season during the early signing period.
The Golden Eagles have added outfielder Brant Blaylock (Southaven, Miss./Northwest Mississippi CC), infielder Jacob Edwards (Decatur, Miss./East Central CC), infielder Charlie Fischer (Edina, Minn./Edina HS), right-handed pitcher Aubrey Gillentine (Amory, Miss./Amory HS), left-hander pitcher Josh Lewis (Theodore, Ala./Mississippi Gulf Coast CC), infielder Danny Lynch (Jupiter, Fla./Dwyer HS), right-hander pitcher Matthew Manley (Raymond, Miss./Central Hinds Academy), right-handed pitcher Gabe Shepard (Mobile, Ala./Faith Academy) and right-handed pitcher Tyler Stuart (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher HS).
Blaylock, at 6-foot-1, 205 lbs., will play his first season at Northwest Mississippi CC after playing the previous two seasons at Mississippi State. He appeared in 30 games and started 26 for the Bulldogs, hitting .193 with two homers and 10 RBI. He added five relief appearances on the mound and posted a 1-0 record with a 7.50 ERA.
Prior to his time in Starkville, Blaylock was a two-time Perfect Game All-American and earned All-State honors by the Clarion-Ledger at DeSoto Central High School on the strength of a .349 batting average with 19 runs scored and 17 RBI as his team captured the 2015 state championship.
Edwards, at 6-foot-1, 180 lbs., captured second team All-MACJC at ECCC on the strength of a .316 batting average with 15 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 38 RBI. He added 23 stolen bases.
At Newton County High School, Edwards captured first-team 4A All-State honors by the MAC as he batted .450 to go along with seven home runs, 13 doubles, 28 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He also garnered the Captain Award and the team’s Best Offensive Player and Best Defensive Player Awards following his final season there.
Fischer, at 6-foot, 185 lbs., hit .358 with two home runs and seven doubles during Edina’s season last spring. During his time there, he also garnered 2AAAA all-sectional honors.
Gillentine, at 6-foot-3, 220 lbs., posted a 5-3 record last spring with a 1.34 earned run average. He earned Division 1-4A Pitcher of the Year honors.
Lewis, at 6-foot-1, 205 lbs., posted a 3-5 record last spring at MGCCC over 10 starts with 44 strikeouts over 50 1/3 innings and a 5.01 earned run average. He earned Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A All-State honors during his junior season at Theodore High School, on the strength of an 8-3 record and a 1.68 ERA with 56 strikeouts overs 62 1/3 innings.
Lynch, at 6-2, 225-pound younger brother of former Southern Miss standout Tim Lynch, is a corner infielder who hit .316 with one home run and 22 RBIs as a junior. In 96 at-bats as a sophomore, Lynch hit .375 with 21 RBI at Dwyer High School.
Manley, at 6-foot, 175 lbs., attended Central Hinds Academy last spring and was a member of the Mississippi team at the 2017 Junior Sunbelt Classic.
Shepard, at 5-foot-10, 180 lbs., tossed a no-hitter in his first outing of his junior campaign with 16 strikeouts and he and his team went on to a 31-8 record and finished as the Class 5A state runners-up in Alabama.
Stuart, at 6-foot-8, 230 lbs., was 7-2 with a 1.82 ERA in 2017 for Herscher High School. He struck out 69 batters in 57 2/3 innings. Stuart earned the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year honor last spring.
The Golden Eagles open the 2018 season, Friday, Feb. 16, when they play host to Mississippi State for the first of three games at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson field.
The Golden Eagles have added outfielder Brant Blaylock (Southaven, Miss./Northwest Mississippi CC), infielder Jacob Edwards (Decatur, Miss./East Central CC), infielder Charlie Fischer (Edina, Minn./Edina HS), right-handed pitcher Aubrey Gillentine (Amory, Miss./Amory HS), left-hander pitcher Josh Lewis (Theodore, Ala./Mississippi Gulf Coast CC), infielder Danny Lynch (Jupiter, Fla./Dwyer HS), right-hander pitcher Matthew Manley (Raymond, Miss./Central Hinds Academy), right-handed pitcher Gabe Shepard (Mobile, Ala./Faith Academy) and right-handed pitcher Tyler Stuart (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher HS).
Blaylock, at 6-foot-1, 205 lbs., will play his first season at Northwest Mississippi CC after playing the previous two seasons at Mississippi State. He appeared in 30 games and started 26 for the Bulldogs, hitting .193 with two homers and 10 RBI. He added five relief appearances on the mound and posted a 1-0 record with a 7.50 ERA.
Prior to his time in Starkville, Blaylock was a two-time Perfect Game All-American and earned All-State honors by the Clarion-Ledger at DeSoto Central High School on the strength of a .349 batting average with 19 runs scored and 17 RBI as his team captured the 2015 state championship.
Edwards, at 6-foot-1, 180 lbs., captured second team All-MACJC at ECCC on the strength of a .316 batting average with 15 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 38 RBI. He added 23 stolen bases.
At Newton County High School, Edwards captured first-team 4A All-State honors by the MAC as he batted .450 to go along with seven home runs, 13 doubles, 28 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He also garnered the Captain Award and the team’s Best Offensive Player and Best Defensive Player Awards following his final season there.
Fischer, at 6-foot, 185 lbs., hit .358 with two home runs and seven doubles during Edina’s season last spring. During his time there, he also garnered 2AAAA all-sectional honors.
Gillentine, at 6-foot-3, 220 lbs., posted a 5-3 record last spring with a 1.34 earned run average. He earned Division 1-4A Pitcher of the Year honors.
Lewis, at 6-foot-1, 205 lbs., posted a 3-5 record last spring at MGCCC over 10 starts with 44 strikeouts over 50 1/3 innings and a 5.01 earned run average. He earned Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A All-State honors during his junior season at Theodore High School, on the strength of an 8-3 record and a 1.68 ERA with 56 strikeouts overs 62 1/3 innings.
Lynch, at 6-2, 225-pound younger brother of former Southern Miss standout Tim Lynch, is a corner infielder who hit .316 with one home run and 22 RBIs as a junior. In 96 at-bats as a sophomore, Lynch hit .375 with 21 RBI at Dwyer High School.
Manley, at 6-foot, 175 lbs., attended Central Hinds Academy last spring and was a member of the Mississippi team at the 2017 Junior Sunbelt Classic.
Shepard, at 5-foot-10, 180 lbs., tossed a no-hitter in his first outing of his junior campaign with 16 strikeouts and he and his team went on to a 31-8 record and finished as the Class 5A state runners-up in Alabama.
Stuart, at 6-foot-8, 230 lbs., was 7-2 with a 1.82 ERA in 2017 for Herscher High School. He struck out 69 batters in 57 2/3 innings. Stuart earned the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year honor last spring.
The Golden Eagles open the 2018 season, Friday, Feb. 16, when they play host to Mississippi State for the first of three games at Pete Taylor Park/Hill Denson field.
