Meet the Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Baseball Team for the 2021 season
The 2021 high school baseball season in South Mississippi wasn’t lacking in talent or compelling storylines after the 2020 campaign was almost entirely wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two Coast squads made it to the championship round this season with Resurrection Catholic and Pascagoula both making trips to Trustmark Park, but each came up just shy of state title trophies.
Pascagoula coach Richie Tillman is the Sun Herald Coach of the Year after his squad finished third in the region before putting together an impressive run through the postseason.
Stone High also had a special season with junior left-hander Gehrig Conard putting together one of the best campaigns on the mound of any pitcher in South Mississippi in recent years.
Conard tossed three no-hitters and had one of his best performances two days following the tragic death of his father, Stone High athletic director and former baseball coach Kevin Conard.
Conard, who picked up a scholarship offer from South Alabama in May, is this year’s Sun Herald Player of the Year.
Sun Herald Coach of the Year
Richie Tillman, Pascagoula
The Pascagoula baseball team had one of the more remarkable postseason runs in South Mississippi in recent history.
The Panthers finished third in Region 8-5A before winning four consecutive playoff series, including wins over two teams considered favorites to contend for a 5A state title — Pearl River Central and West Jones.
In his 11th season as the head coach at ‘Goula, Tillman likely did his best job.
The Panthers finished 22-18 and have plenty of young talent returning for 2022.
Sun Herald Player of the Year
With a quick pace on the mound and pinpoint accuracy in his delivery, Conard put forth the best performance of any pitcher in South Mississippi in 2022.
The lefty tossed three no-hitters while helping the Tomcats advance to the South State round in Class 4A.
Conard finished 9-1 in 13 appearances, putting up an earned run average of 0.73. He struck out 133 batters and walked 30 in 77 innings.
The Pearl River Community College commit was also a contributor as an outfielder, hitting .337 with 19 runs scored.
Fans’ Choice Player of the Year
Hollis Porter, East Central
The junior first baseman had one of the hottest bats in the state all season, finishing with a team-high batting average of .488. He also hit three homers, 11 doubles and knocked in 31 runs.
The left-handed swinging Porter already has a Pearl River Community College offer, and there should be many more to come for the 6-foot-3 slugger.
2021 All-South Mississippi Team
Kade Carpenter, Vancleave senior OF — Mississippi Gulf Coast CC signee hit .455 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs, Class 4A First-Team All-State.
Cortez Dennis, Stone senior OF/RHP — Meridian CC signee hit .376 with 6 homers and 31 RBI; 4-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 46 2/3 innings, Class 4A First-Team All-State.
T.J. Dunsford, East Central sophomore utility — Hit .346 with 4 HR, 28 RBIs and 21 runs scored; 0.64 ERA in 32 2/3 innings pitched, Class 5A Second-Team All-State.
Caleb Dyess, Pearl River Central sophomore OF — Hit .436 with 2 HR, 34 runs scored and 36 RBIs
Logan Forsythe, D’Iberville junior second baseman — Mississippi State commit hit .386 with 2 homers with 19 RBIs and 38 runs scored.
Warren Garry, Pascagoula senior OF — Hit .392 with 4 homers and 34 RBIs, Class 5A First-Team All-State.
Blake Gollott, D’Iberville junior LHP — Pearl River CC commit finished 8-2 with 1.55 ERA in 49 2/3 innings.
Triston Hickman, Stone senior catcher — Pearl River CC signee Hit .389 with 6 homers, 28 RBI, Class 4A First-Team All-State.
Kaden Irving, Gautier sophomore infielder/pitcher — Ole Miss commit hit .462 with 8 homers and 21 RBI; 1.31 ERA in 32 innings, Class 5A First-Team All-State.
Brennan Jones, West Harrison senior infielder/pitcher — Pearl River CC signee hit .365 with 29 RBIs; 4-4 with a 2.40 ERA in 11 appearances on the mound.
Jak King, Ocean Springs senior utility — Hit .409 with 32 runs scored and 14 stolen bases, earned Class 6A First-Team All-State.
Noah Nicholson, Vancleave senior OF — 7-3 with a 1.80 ERA in 58 1/3 innings pitched, 73 strikeouts, 11 walks; hit .312 with 26 RBIs, Class 4A Second-Team All-State.
Keilon Parnell, Pascagoula sophomore OF — Mississippi State commit hit .414 with 2 homers, 39 runs scored and 32 RBIs, Class 5A First-Team All-State.
Tristan Pearson, Biloxi senior third baseman — Hit .393 with 9 stolen bases and 18 runs scored, earned Class 6A First-Team All-State.
Carson Robb, Vancleave junior RHP — 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA in 49 innings pitched, 85 strikeouts, 30 walks, Class 4A Second-Team All-State.
Justin Robinson, Pearl River Central junior RHP — 8-1 with a 1.56 ERA in 63 innings, striking out 116 and walking 28, Class 5A Second-Team All-State.
J.T. Schnoor, Resurrection junior infielder — Hit .379 with 31 RBIs, 1.26 ERA in 16 2/3 innings, Class 1A First-Team All-State.
Brayden Scott, Pascagoula sophomore RHP — 4-1 with a 3.62 ERA, hit .316, Class 5A Second-Team All-State.
Sean Smith, Pascagoula senior OF — MGCCC commit hit .426 with 6 homers, 10 doubles, 37 RBIs with 12 stolen bases, Class 5A First-Team All-State.
Ethan Songy, Pearl River Central junior infielder — Hit .396 with 25 RBIs and 28 runs scored, Class 5A First-Team All-State.
Cole Tingle, Resurrection sophomore RHP — 12-2 with a 1.32 ERA in 85 innings pitched over 20 appearances, Class 1A First-Team All-State.
Kannon Varnado, Harrison Central RHP — 5-3 with a 2.51 ERA in 53 innings, .326 batting average with 17 RBIs.
Eli Walker, Gulfport senior RHP — MGCCC signee with a 4-3 record with a 2.62 ERA, 64 strikeouts in 52 innings.
