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Norris Plans To Play
College Baseball At Mississippi State
By JOSH BEAN -
Mobile Press-Register Sports Reporter
Fairhope,
AL (August 15,
2009) -- Fairhope's Daryl Norris stands tall on
the football field and the baseball diamond. Just not
tall enough to make him a can't-miss prospect as a
quarterback.
That's why the 6-foot-1 Norris, a rising senior at
Fairhope High,
has decided to play college baseball -- solidifying that
decision by verbally committing to Mississippi
State.
Norris confirmed his commitment to the Press-Register
on Saturday.
Verbal commitments are non-binding. Norris can sign
scholarship papers to play baseball in November, and he
said doesn't expect to have a change of heart.
Norris enjoyed a breakout baseball season last
spring, winning the Press-Register Player of the Year
award and being named the Class 6A Player of the Year by
the
Alabama Sports Writers Association. He hit .487 with
13 homers and 50 RBIs -- both tops in the state's
AHSAA Class 6A ranks
-- and walked 42 times in 174 plate appearances.
On the mound, he finished 8-3 with a 1.25 ERA.
A 6-foot-1 right-hander, Norris' fastball has been
clocked consistently in the low. In a late-season game
last year, his fastball hit 96 mph.
Entering his third season as Fairhope's starting
quarterback,
Norris is coming off a 2008 season that featured
2,568 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions
last fall.
"If I was a little bit taller, I might consider
playing football," he said.
Fairhope opens the 2009 football season Aug. 28 at
St. Paul's.
"We're hoping to have a really good season," he said.
"Our team has a lot of good seniors, a lot of good
leadership. We're worked really hard this summer to try
to surprise some people this year."
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