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MSU Pitcher Chris Stratton Wins 2012 C Spire Wireless Ferriss Trophy As Magnolia State's Top College Baseball Player

2012-05-14

Bulldog hurler edges out Delta State pitcher Colton Mitchell and Ole Miss infielder Alex Yarbrough for award

Jackson, Miss., (May 14, 2012) – Chris Stratton, Mississippi State’s candidate for national college baseball player of the year, today was named the winner of the 2012 C Spire Wireless Ferriss Trophy as the state’s most outstanding college baseball player at a Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame awards luncheon program.

Stratton, a 6-foot, 3-inch junior right-handed pitcher from Tupelo, Ms., has won nine of his 10 decisions, striking out 107 batters while walking only 19 in 89 innings. He is a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Week and only the 12th pitcher in MSU history to record 100 strikeouts in a season.

The other two finalists were Delta State left-handed pitcher Colton Mitchell and Ole Miss second baseman Alex Yarbrough. Mitchell has an 8-0 record, including a perfect game, this season. Yarbrough hit .405 and committed only one error all season long.

The C Spire Ferriss Trophy is named for former Mississippi State and Boston Red Sox pitching great Boo Ferriss, the long-time coach at Delta State. Voting was done by coaches, Major League baseball scouts and two media members.

“We’re very pleased with the high caliber of all our finalists for the C Spire Wireless Ferriss Trophy,” said Jim Richmond, director of Corporate Communications for C Spire Wireless. “For its size, Mississippi has some of the best baseball talent in the world and today’s program demonstrated that once again with three strong candidates. Our best wishes go out to all the players and their families who were honored today.”

C Spire has sponsored the Ferriss Trophy presentation all nine years of its existence. The company also sponsors college football’s Conerly Trophy and college basketball’s Howell and Gillom Trophies, which annually honor the state’s top football and male and female college basketball players.

About C Spire Wireless

C Spire Wireless is a diversified wireless communications company passionately committed to helping customers by personalizing wireless services designed just for them. The company is the first wireless provider in the U.S. to personalize customers’ experience by offering apps that fit who they are, services that anticipate their needs, and rewards for using their phone in new ways – all with seamless ease and at amazingly fast speeds. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire Wireless and its products and services, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.