The University of Mississippi Athletics
Baseball Signee Horne Attends First Class Monday
8/20/2001 | Baseball
Aug. 20, 2001
OXFORD, Miss. - Freshman right-handed pitcher Alan Horne, from Marianna, Fla., attended his first class at Ole Miss Monday after turning down a professional contract offer from the Cleveland Indians, who selected Horne with the 27th overall pick in this past June's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Horne was one of 24 Rebel newcomers to attended their first class at Ole Miss Monday. During his four-year prep career at Marianna High School, Horne recorded a 24-6 record with a 1.56 ERA. He also struck out 355 while walking just 73 in 197 2/3 innings pitched.
Also, attending class Monday was senior right-hander Pete Montrenes, who decided to return for his final collegiate season after being picked by the Oakland Athletics in the 17th round this past June. Montrenes went 10-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 16 starts last spring in his first year at Ole Miss after transferring from Southern California. He also fanned 107 batters to become just the second pitcher in school history to record at least 10 wins and 100 strikeouts in a single-season.
Montrenes' return and Horne's decision to attend school has second-year Ole Miss Head Coach Mike Bianco looking forward to the upcoming season.
"We're excited that Alan has decided to attend school here at Ole Miss," Bianco said. "I know it was a tough decision for him, but I think is says a lot about our program that he's here. He completes what we feel is an outstanding recruiting class. With the newcomers we have, Pete returning to school, and our other returning players, we're excited about the potential of this year's team."
In addition to Montrenes, other key returnees for the Rebels include senior outfielder Burney Hutchinson, senior first baseman/designated hitter Josh Christian and sophomore right-handers Adam Yates and Nick Bradshaw.
Hutchinson hit .356 with 14 home runs and 63 runs batted in last year to earn first team All- Southeastern Conference honors and second team All-America accolades from Baseball Weekly. Christian finished the season with a .351 average, tied Hutchinson for the team-lead in HRs with 14 and had 58 RBIs.
Yates went 7-3 with a 4.73 ERA and registered four saves and was named a first team Freshmen All-America by Collegiate Baseball. Bradshaw registered a 4-2 record with a 3.90 ERA and one save in 24 relief appearances.
The Rebels will begin fall workouts on Sept. 17 and will conclude them the second week of October. Ole Miss finished 39-23-1 last spring in Bianco's first year and advanced to the NCAA Regionals in New Orleans. The Rebels finished tied for second in the SEC Western Division and spent 11 weeks ranked in one of the three major college baseball polls.