2010 Millsaps Baseball Preview
Coming off its fourth trip to an NCAA Regional in the last seven years and the third most wins in program history at 34-10 overall, the 2010 edition of Millsaps College baseball will see a handful of new faces in the lineup and returns just three seniors on a very young, but talented roster.

The 2009 senior class left its mark on history, winning a school-record 135 games against 55 losses for a .711 win percentage. The Majors also boasted three 30-win seasons, including 14 wins against Top 25 opponents, and claimed three SCAC West titles during their stay.

“Last year we had 10 seniors, but of those, really only a couple had started prior to last year,” 22nd-year head coach Jim Page said. “They provided us with a lot of maturity and leadership, and that's something I was really proud of. But on the other side, I've never been afraid to play young kids and freshmen, and this year is a situation where we'll have a lot of new faces, especially on our pitching staff which will have a whole new look to it.”

The 2009 season will be remembered for the ages, as the Majors opened the year with an impressive six wins in six days and darted out to their best start ever at 19-2. What followed was a No. 1 ranking for the first time in the history of any athletic program at Millsaps on April 14, 2009, when D3baseball.com tabbed the Majors the best team in all of NCAA Division III baseball. Millsaps went on to claim a 13th division title and sixth regional berth, falling in the winner's bracket of the Central Regional in Moline, Ill.

Six-time SCAC Coach of the Year Jim Page, who owns a career record of 533-306-3 (.635) in 21 seasons, will work with four returning starters on this year's squad, along with 15 letterwinners, and will look to make his and Millsaps' 11th straight appearance in the SCAC Tournament at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn., April 22-25.

The Outfield:
Millsaps loses a standout rightfielder in three-time ABCA and D3baseball.com All-American Hunter Owen, the school's career leader in home runs (41), doubles (55), RBIs (186) and total bases (387), along with two-time All-SCAC centerfielder Tait Hendrix, leftfielder Tony Malaschak and CF/LF Hayes Brian who started a combined 24 games. Hendrix split time in the outfield and on the hill during his four seasons, hitting at a .333 clip from the plate and compiling a 16-7 record on the mound with a 3.82 ERA. Three of the four graduated, while Malaschak didn't return to school after a pair of solid seasons in which he hit just under .300 with 54 RBIs and 53 runs scored.

Jeremy Aliff, who battled hamstring problems last year, worked hard in the offseason to get into premier shape and will provide the most returning experience to the outfield. The Majors were an impressive 25-3 with Aliff hitting in the leadoff spot, as the junior hit .337 and stole 13-of-13 bases. Sophomore Jules Roussel is expected to start in right field after playing just six games last year, and has a dangerous bat once he gets going. Page is also looking to move Josh Ordeneaux, the Majors' starting 3B the past two seasons, into the outfield whereas junior Jason Riggins and sophomore Ryan Zemke will also see some looks.

The Infield:
The entire infield will get a makeover after the loss of Billy Murphy, a two-year starter at shortstop, and the unexpected loss of Todd Barnthouse at second base. Returning is D3baseball.com All-American Honorable Mention and 2009 SCAC Offensive Player of the Year Will Hawkins, who hit .406 with a conference-leading 73 hits, 17 doubles and 55 RBIs a year ago. The junior could see time at either first base, where he started 39 games, or third. Division I transfers Drew Leonard (Southeastern Louisiana) and Trey Rountree (McNeese State) are expected to get starts at shortstop and third, along with fellow newcomers Kevin Wall and Will Elmore at second, Wes Perkins at third and Jake Mills at first.

“There are so many different variables that we hope to iron out as quickly as we can,” Page said. “Last year we had seven different lineups in the first seven games, and part of that will be dictated by the first few games again this year.”

In the Bullpen:
Each year the coaching staff strives to have a team ERA under 4.00, and will have some talented arms again this year to do just that. As a team, Millsaps had a 5.07 ERA (3rd in SCAC) with 11 saves and four complete games, with nine different Majors winning at least one game.

The Majors will be without career saves leader Drew Maddox, who had a breakout senior campaign with a 7-2 record and a SCAC-leading five saves, along with Hendrix who was 7-1 with a 4.15 ERA in 12 starts and became the fourth member of the 200-Strikeout Club. After transferring in from Ole Miss as a freshman, Maddox made his name as a premier closer for the Majors, appearing in a school-record 82 games on the mound.

Millsaps, however, does return a pair of All-SCAC selections in junior right-hander Boomer Hudson (6-1, 2.10 ERA, SV) out of the pen and starter Aaron Williams (7-3, 4.11 ERA, 4 CG) who combined for a third of the Majors' wins while holding opponents to a .268 batting average. Also returning are senior transfer Shelby Robertson (3-1, 7.31 ERA, 2 SV) who started five games, along with juniors Andrew Pearce (1-0, 2.70 ERA) and John Marshall Pemberton (1-0, 10.61 ERA, SV). Senior Andrew Fleming (0-0, 3.00 ERA) will also see some time after fighting a shoulder injury in addition to a slew of freshmen who are expected to get into the rotation.

“Despite us losing a tremendous pitching staff from last year's team, we've got great anchors on this team and some young potential that has the chance to be really special,” Page said. “We walked a few too many people last year and let opponents hit too high against us, but that is a work in progress that will come as the season rolls along.”

The Schedule:
Millsaps will play 22 of its 39 scheduled contests at Twenty Field, where they've put together an impressive 144-60 (.706) record since 2000. Last year, Millsaps opened the season with six tough games in six days, and will have a similar start in 2010 with four games in five days. The Majors open the year on Feb. 5-6 with a three-game series against the University of the Ozarks (Ark.), followed by a single game against Huntingdon College on Feb. 9.

Millsaps jumps right into conference play a week into the season, welcoming reigning SCAC Champion Hendrix College to Jackson Feb. 13-14 for the opening three games of a five-game season series. The Majors close the regular season and their SCAC slate April 17-18 at Trinity University.

The annual Cowboy Maloney Trophy Series, with rivals Mississippi College and Belhaven University, opens on Feb. 16 with the Choctaws at 6 p.m. The Majors won the trophy for a fourth time last year, finishing 5-1 in the series, to reclaim the title from Belhaven.