James signs baseball scholarship Parker James, a standout pitcher and outfielder at Marshall Academy, has signed a baseball grant-in-aid with Blue Mountain College.
James, who helped lead the Patriots to a record-tying 27-7 season, led M.A. in batting with a .402 average and was successful on 24 of 25 stolen base attempts. As a pitcher, James was 6-2 with a 1.30 earned run average, and racked up 57 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched.
BMC coach Curt Fowler said James, 6-3 and 185 pounds, "has all the tools of a great ballplayer."
"He comes from a great program where he played for Johnny Ray," Fowler said. "Parker has speed, a strong arm and good bat, and a great attitude. He'll see a lot of time both in the outfield and on the mound.
"Parker loves to play the game and it shows every time he takes the field."
Coach Ray said James, who was named the most valuable player in District 1-AA and will play in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools all-star game later this month, makes coaching enjoyable.
"Parker deserves every accolade he gets," Ray said. "At the end of the day you know that he has put everything he has into it. He'll do well at Blue Mountain College."
James, who helped lead the Patriots to a record-tying 27-7 season, led M.A. in batting with a .402 average and was successful on 24 of 25 stolen base attempts. As a pitcher, James was 6-2 with a 1.30 earned run average, and racked up 57 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched.
BMC coach Curt Fowler said James, 6-3 and 185 pounds, "has all the tools of a great ballplayer."
"He comes from a great program where he played for Johnny Ray," Fowler said. "Parker has speed, a strong arm and good bat, and a great attitude. He'll see a lot of time both in the outfield and on the mound.
"Parker loves to play the game and it shows every time he takes the field."
Coach Ray said James, who was named the most valuable player in District 1-AA and will play in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools all-star game later this month, makes coaching enjoyable.
"Parker deserves every accolade he gets," Ray said. "At the end of the day you know that he has put everything he has into it. He'll do well at Blue Mountain College."
(Photo above) With James are: (seated) his siter Kayla and mother Shelly James; and (standing) BMC coach Curt Fowler, M.A. coach Johnny Ray, and James’ father Jody James.
