The success for the Greenville High School baseball program is happening not just on the field.
On Wednesday, senior infielder Aaron Coats became the third Hornet player to sign a baseball scholarship in the last few months.
Coats, a feared batter at the plate, inked his name to to play at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Last fall, Greenville’s Ty’Mitchell McCollough and Ervin Simmons both signed baseball scholarships to attend East Central Community College in Decatur.
“These signing are very significant for us because in our community baseball is not as important as football or basketball,” Greenville head coach Jeffrey Jones said. “Hopefully, at some point in time younger kids will start seeing the success we are having and want to stick with the game of baseball.”
The Greenville coach added that Wednesday’s signing was a tribute to all the hard work Coats has put in the game over the years. Because of this, Coats is now a feared hitter at the plate.
“Opposing teams fear him now,” Coach Jones said. “They try and pitch around him all the time. He has earned this reputation as a great hitter not just locally but statewide.” this is statewide not just in the local area.
Through seven games this season, Coats is batting .500 with two home runs and eight RBI.
Coats said Wednesday that he chose Copiah-Lincoln because of how consistently the coaching staff recruited him.
“I want to thank God, my family, my coaches and my teammates for this day,” Coats said. “It is very rewarding to know that all my hard work has paid off.”
Coats began playing varsity baseball at Greenville High School as an eighth grader, and he soon realized that he had the ability to play at the varsity level.
“In my first varsity game, I made a couple of plays in the field and then I also got a couple hits. Once I did that, I knew I could do it,” he said.
Greenville Hornets 4, Vicksburg 1
The Hornets (5-2) won their fifth straight game by scoring three runs in the top of the third inning to defeat the Gators.
Ty’Mitchell McCollough, Aaron Coats and Ervin Simmons all scored a run in the victory.
Greenville pitchers Ervin Simmons, Damien Brown, Jayden Jones and Martavious Simmons all pitched at least an inning of solid baseball to help the Hornets get the win.
Greenville Hornets 15, Cleveland Central 13 (eight innings)
Despite giving up 12 runs to the Wolves in the bottom of the second inning, the Greenville Hornets stormed back with seven runs in the top of the third inning and won the game by scoring a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning.
Aaron Coats had three hits in the game, including a home run. Sophomore Josh Martin had two hits, two runs and two RBI. Leadoff man Ty’Mithcell McCollough had two hits, including a double, two runs and two RBI.
Senior Kameron Reed had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Damien Brown had a hit and three RBI. Sophomore Josh Martin had two hits, two runs and two RBI.
Senior Donovan Shead drove in two runs.
