3 Bulldogs sign with 4-year schools

PERKINSTON — Three more Mississippi Gulf Coast baseball players will be continuing their college careers at NCAA Division II schools. Third baseman Dylan Menhennett is headed to West Florida, relief pitcher Hayden Harrell to Mississippi College, and relief pitcher Grant Atwood to Spring Hill.

Menhennett, a sophomore from Biloxi, has exploded at the plate this year for Gulf Coast. He's batting .374 with eight home runs, nine doubles and a team-high five triples. Menhennett is second on the team with 38 RBI.

"I've learned to never get down on yourself too much," he said. "You want to keep level-headed and focused. Academics are the biggest part of my decision because I'm studying engineering. That's what's important."

Menhennett will play for the Argonauts in the Gulf Coast Conference, joining former teammate Dylan Mills-Derouen. West Florida is third in the conference.

"He's a totally different player than he was when he got here," Gulf Coast coach Rodney Batts said. "When we signed him out of high school, we thought he had potential. Last year was a learning experience for him. What's made him so good is he's put the work in. It's a great accomplishment for him."

Harrell, a sophomore from Wiggins, appeared in eight games last season, throwing 15.2 innings with a 5.74 ERA. He struck out 13 batters and walked three. Harrell has not played this season because of an ankle injury.

"I've learned competitiveness and about overcoming adversity," he said. "I'm grateful for my coaches and players with how they've supported me after my injury. It was a tough decision not to come back. I've learned a lot here, and Coach (Eric) Ebers has taught me how to pitch."

Harrell will play for the Choctaws in the Gulf South Conference. The Choctaws are fifth in the league, and they have former MGCCC pitchers Brandon Kennedy and Chris Crosby on the roster.

He's a guy that came here as a catcher, and we converted him to a pitcher," Batts said. "I hate it for him. He had really caught on and gotten a feel for pitching when he got hurt.  It's a testament to him and how quickly he caught on that he's going to be able to move on in such a short amount of time."

Atwood, a sophomore from Vancleave, has made 15 relief appearances for the Bulldogs over the last two seasons, pitching 25.1 innings with a 2.13 ERA and 25 strikeouts. He's averaging over 11 strikeouts per nine innings this year.

"I've learned the basics of pitching here," he said. "Thanks to Coach Ebers, he's helped me a lot while I've been starting over."

The Badgers play in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, where they are second in the West Division.

"Grant came here and hadn't pitched in a couple years," Batts said. "He's got a good arm, a good breaking ball, and he's gotten a little more consistent. He's still young at this pitching thing, but his future is bright. We excited for what he can do for us down the stretch, and what he'll do at the next level."

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