Brandon alumnus Joel Pappas will be heading down south to continue his college baseball career.
Pappas, 20, who played the past two seasons at Mott Community College in Flint, has signed with the University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) in Williamsburg, Ky. to play baseball with that program for the 2006-07 school year.
Pappas, a 2004 Brandon graduate, was named to the Michigan Community College Athletic Association All Conference Honorable Mention team in 2005.
He played third base, shortstop and second base for Mott. ‘I like to play second or short, but not third so much,? he said.
It was that infield versatility, along with his left-handed bat, that attracted University of the Cumberlands coach Brad Shelton to Pappas.
‘We graduated several seniors that played in the infield,? he said. ‘My assistant coaches and I contact every junior college in the country and start looking at players. He came to work out for us, and showed us he’s a solid player. After talking to his coaches and other coaches in the league, we thought he’d be a good fit.
Pappas, who plans to major in political science at the University of the Cumberlands, also considered Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Fla. before deciding to sign with the Patriots.
‘It’s south of here, so it’s a little bit warmer, plus they have a good baseball program,? he said.
Shelton, who will be heading into his sixth year as the Patriots? coach in 2006-07 (and his 12th year overall as a head coach), said the amount of playing time Pappas receives in his first year at the school will be determined by how he progresses during the fall.
‘We don’t bring in junior college transfers to sit on the bench, but he’ll have to compete,? he said. ‘We feel with his bat, it will be hard to keep him on the bench.?
The Patriots are members of the Mid-South Conference, which is itself a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Last season, the Patriots compiled a 39-16 overall record and a 13-4 league record, advancing to the final day of the NAIA Region XI tournament before being eliminated.
They have also made the NAIA Top 25 each of the five years Shelton has been at the helm of the Patriots? program.
Pappas is the son of Steve and Roxanne Pappas of Ortonville, and has three younger sisters: Berryl, 21, Molly, 14, and Madison, 12.