By Staff
from school reports
July 20, 2003
HATTIESBURG Union High School outfielder Jody Blount has signed to play baseball for the University of Southern Mississippi next season.
Blount was a six-year letterwinner for coach Joey Ward, helping lead Union to the third round of the state 1A playoffs. As a senior in 2003, he hit .440 and finished with 12 doubles, five triples, six home runs and 38 RBIs. As a pitcher, he finished with an 8-3 record and had a 1.78 ERA.
Blount was an all-state selection, the Neshoba Democrat's Area Player of the Year and was selected to play in the Mississippi High School Coaches Association All-State game, where he was named the game's offensive player of the game. He was also selected to play in the MPSA-MHSAA Baseball Classic.
Blount was a three-time all-district selection and was named the district player of the year as a senior. He was named the team's best offensive player three times and best defensive player once.
He also lettered in golf and football. In golf, he was a two-time all-district honoree and named to the all-district team once in football. Blount was a member of the National Beta Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Who's Who Among American High School Students and Who's Who in Sports. He also was named to the National Honor Roll and selected an All-American Scholar.
This marks the ninth signee of the spring signing period and 12th overall. The Golden Eagles signed Corey Bass (RHP, Petal HS/Petal, Miss.), Drew Carson (OF, Neville HS/Monroe, La.), Mike Cashion (RHP, Clinton HS/Clinton, Miss.), Trey Cuevas (C, Oak Grove HS/Oak Grove, Miss.), Brett Hoeflich (1B/OF, Petal HS/Petal, Miss.), Chris Matesich (SS, Germantown HS/Germantown, Tenn.), and Casey Summerlin (3B, Vancleave HS/Vancleave, Miss.) during the late signing period, and Barry Bowden (RHP, Vidalia HS/Vidalia, La.), Patrick Ezell (RHP, Petal HS/Petal, Miss.) and Nathan Sanders (OF, Meridian CC/Meridian, Miss.) in the fall signing period.
Southern Miss finished 47-16 overall and 23-7 in Conference USA in 2003, setting the school record for most wins in a season and the conference record for most conference wins in a season. The Golden Eagles won the Conference USA regular-season title, the tournament championship and hosted the NCAA Hattiesburg Regional Tournament, finishing second. They also set the school record for the highest ranking (12) by Baseball America. The Golden Eagles led the conference in nearly every offensive, defensive and pitching category.