United States Five Tender

Players from two nationally-ranked teams dominated the list of finalists announced today for the 2019 C Spire Ferriss Trophy which annually honors the top college baseball player in Mississippi.Chosen by Major League Baseball scouts and college baseball coaches in Mississippi the five finalists include two players each from Mississippi State and Ole Miss and one from Southern Miss. Finalists are two-time nominee Matt Wallner of Southern Miss Mississippi States Jake Mangum and Ethan Small and Grae Kessinger and Tyler Keenan of Ole Miss.The scouts and coaches whose votes count for 90 percent of the total will make their choice this week from among the five finalists. Fan voting which begins tomorrow at www.cspire.comferriss and concludes on Saturday will account for a weighted 10 percent of the final tally. The winner will be announced on May 20 at a special Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame luncheon.Southern Miss pitcher Nick Sandlin won the 2018 award while Mississippi State outfielder Brent Rooker won the 2017 award. Mangum a three-time finalist won the 2016 C Spire Ferriss Trophy as a freshman which is named for the late Dave Boo Ferriss a Magnolia State baseball legend a Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer and long-time Delta State head baseball coach.Several players have been outstanding this year - so competition will be stiff for the award said Bill Blackwell executive director of the MSHOF which co-sponsors the award with C Spire. Ole Miss and Mississippi State have been nationally ranked all year and Southern Miss is 32-15 and atop the Conference USA standings.Former Mississippi State University player and long-time MLB manager Buck Showalter will be the guest speaker at the C Spire Ferriss Trophy luncheon which begins at 1130 a.m. Showalter who guided the Orioles Yankees Diamondbacks and Rangers played his collegiate ball at MSU where he hit .459 in 1977. He also served two stints as an ESPN baseball analyst.The finalists in alphabetical order areTyler Keenan Ole Miss third baseman Soph. Clayton N.C. a .299 batting average with 59 hits six doubles a triple 11 home runs and 55 RBI.Grae Kessinger Ole Miss shortstop Jr. Oxford Miss. a .355 batting average with 76 hits 17 doubles four home runs and 39 RBI.Jake Mangum Mississippi State outfielder Sr. Pearl Miss. a .401 batting average with 93 hits 20 doubles three triples 37 RBI and 20 stolen bases. He is the all-time SEC hits leader with more walks 18 than strikeouts 15 on the season.Ethan Small Mississippi State pitcher Jr. Lexington Tenn. a 1.73 earned run average and 7-1 record with 132 strike outs 19 walks and only 42 hits in 78 innings.Matt Wallner Southern Miss outfielder Jr. Forest Lake Minn.. a .295 batting average with 54 hits 10 doubles 15 home runs 44 RBI a .596 slugging percentage and a .410 on-base percentage.Advance tickets are on sale including full tables seating 8 persons for 350 each along with reserved seating half tables and individual tickets. For more information or to purchase tickets call the MSHOF offices at 601.982.8264 stop by at 1152 Lakeland Drive in Jackson or go online at httpmsfame.comc-spire-ferriss-trophy.2019 marks the 24th anniversary of the Outstanding Player Awards Program. C Spire has served as title sponsor for 22 of those years since 1998. The Conerly Trophy in college football the Howell Trophy in mens college basketball the Gillom Trophy in in womens college basketball and the Ferriss Trophy in college baseball comprise the four elements of the C Spire Outstanding Player Award series which are jointly presented by the company and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.About C Spire