by PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast relief pitcher Brandon Kennedy (MBCI) has signed a scholarship to continue his collegiate playing career at NCAA Division III Mississippi College.
“I really liked what the coach told me and what he said his plans were,” Kennedy said. “He’s trying to make them even better next, and he thought I’d help them a lot. I decided to go there and try to help them out.”
The right-hander from Choctaw Central High School and Philadelphia appeared in 34 games for the Bulldogs during his two seasons in Perkinston. He had a 4-5 record with 11 saves in 13 opportunities, racking up a 2.74 ERA.
Kennedy had a 1.84 ERA as a sophomore and struck out 18 batters in 14.2 innings of work. Gulf Coast coach Rodney Batts said they discussed his role before the 2016 season and whether he’s start or come out of the bullpen.
“He kind of embraced that because it gave him the opportunity to throw a lot more,” Batts said. “He was really good in that role. He meant a lot to us because we could count on him, and every time we went to him it was a tough situation.”
Kennedy will be playing for Choctaws coach Jeremy Haworth, who will be in his third season next year. He’ll be taking what he learned at Gulf Coast with him.
“I learned that anything can happen,” he said. “Anybody can get their education. It’s not as hard as people make it seem. In baseball, if you go in and give it your all, the outcome is going to be good if you work as hard as you can.”
