Baseball

The Rock-A-Chaws are the 2023 South State Champs after defeating the Clarkdale Bulldogs to advance to the state championship round to be held at Trustmark Park in Pearl, MS. The Rock-A-Chaws will face off against the Amory Panthers beginning on May 30.

The Rock-A-Chaws presently support a 21 – 12 record in the 2023 campaign including an 8-2 district record. The Rock-A-Chaws defeated Enterprise, Seminary, and Clarkdale in the playoffs to clinch the South State title.

The Rock-A-Chaws team is led by Senior outfielder Seth Farni, who has committed to Ole Miss. Along with Farni, notable seniors on the team include Hill Gainey, who has committed to East Mississippi Community College, Hugh LeMasters, who has also committed to East Mississippi Community College, and Kyle Stegall, who has committed to Pearl River Community College. Junior Chesley Rhodes has been chosen to play for the West Futures All-Stars team, and freshman Wiley Mossy has been selected for the West Rising Stars team.

Brad Corley was named the Varsity Baseball Coach in the spring of 2020. Corley was drafted out of high school by the Colorado Rockies in the 16th round but opted to go to Mississippi State University where he played for Ron Polk. He played at MSU from 2003-05 and was a first-team All-American in 2004. In 2005, Corley was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and played in their organization for 4 1/2 years before being traded to the Rockies where he played from 2009-11. Corley has been on the baseball staff at Saint Stanislaus since 2015.

Corley succeeded Mark Logan (SSC ’86), the program’s winningest coach in history, who stepped away after 17 years as manager of the program with a record of 286-168, six Division 8-4A titles, two Class 4A South State titles and two Class 4A State championships (2010, 2015).

The baseball tradition at Saint Stanislaus dates back to the 1890s.  Baseball was the favorite sport among the students.  In the 1920s, the baseball team produced two major league players. Eddie Moore of the 1925 championship Pittsburgh team and Zeke Bonura who played with Chicago, the New York Giants, and the Washington Red Sox.

In the 2010s, the Rocks sent Jacob Lidgren ’11 to the major leagues. He was drafted in the 10th round out of SSC by the Chicago Cubs but opted to go to Mississippi State University where he became an All-American in 2014. He was taken in the second round of the MLB Draft in 2014 by the New York Yankees and made his major league debut on May 25, 2015, with the Yankees. He has also played for the Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox and is currently on a rehab assignment with the White Sox.