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Pirate Pair Will Play For Bulldogs
Norris, Pitts sign with MSU for baseball
By TONY WHITEHEAD -
Mobile Press-Register Sports Writer
Fairhope,
AL (November 15,
2009) -- A pair of Pirates signed Southeastern Conference baseball
scholarships Thursday to play for Mississippi State University. Fairhope
High seniors Daryl Norris and Garrett Pitts put their names on the line
for the Bulldogs in the FHS library among family, friends, teammates and
media.
The duo have anchored a string of 105 Pirate victories since 2006 with
two area/region championships and four years of playoff experience
together. Last year they led Fairhope to the Hank Aaron Classic title as
well as the 6A Region crown.
Fairhope High head baseball coach Stu Fuller said the two are
outstanding players individually, but together have helped the Pirates
as teammates in all phases of the game. Both are power hitters who
usually bat in the No. 3 and 4 slots and play excellent defense. Norris
also pitches and started as an eighth grader on the mound for FHS.
"They are two special kids and have been to our program now for a number
of years," Fuller said. "Fairhope couldn't be prouder of two young men
to represent our community, our school and and our baseball program.
Both are honor students, both are fine kids. One day we're going to miss
them a lot. Fortunately we still have them for another spring."
Fuller said both players have the tools the Bulldogs need. "Both of them
have an excellent shot at playing time early in their careers at
Mississippi State. Hopefully that intelligence for the game and the
things they have learned over the years will carry on there."
“Daryl exemplifies power on the mound and at the plate. He's very
intelligent, very much a student of the game and understands what's
going on all the time out there."
“Garrett is kind of an old throwback guy. Just very tenacious. Plays the
game so hard all the time. Strength wise he swings the bat well and he's
very sure of himself in the infield. He's one of our best base runners,
a little daring sometimes, but very smart on the bases."
Norris said he had grown up as an Alabama fan, but was impressed by MSU
and head coach John Cohen.
"I liked everything about it. Top-notch facilities, program, coaches. I
liked the coaches a lot, especially coach Cohen. I'm just really happy
my family won't have to pay for school. We're all so excited."
The right hander also said he expects to be looked on mostly as a
pitcher but hopes he can keep swinging the bat as well.
"I expect to pitch up there and may be play first base or third base. I
really don't want to give up hitting."
Pitts, who grew up in Starkville, Miss., where MSU is located, said he
never considered going anywhere else. "My granddad was an All-American
basketball player there in the late fifties. Just growing up there, the
rest of my family all go there, so I've just always been a Bulldog ever
since I was a young kid. It really is a dream come true. Something I've
always wanted to do: play for the Bulldogs."
As a Pirate, Pitts has started since his freshman season as both a
catcher and shortstop and said he is ready to play wherever he may be
needed at MSU.
"They told me I would probably be playing middle infield, but they would
also look at me behind the plate and may be some at third base."
Pitts plans to major in premed. Norris is undecided.
Heading into the 2010 season Pitts carries a .361 career batting average
with 11 home runs and 74 RBIs to date over the last three years. In
2009, he hit .405.
Norris has an overall .410 average at the plate with 29 homers so far.
As a junior he hit .487 and has not hit below .400 since the ninth grade
(.320). On the mound, he has a 19-9 combined record with 270 strikeouts.
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