The University of Mississippi Athletics
Hillcrest Christian Athletes Excelling At Ole Miss
5/24/2002 | Softball
May 1, 2002
JACKSON, Miss. - One Mississippi academy has been sending more than its quota of athletes to Ole Miss recently.
Hillcrest Christian High School, a private 4-A school in Jackson, is well represented on the Rebel diamonds.
Baseball players Glen Morris, Dustin Cliburn and Seth Smith and softball pitcher Lindsay Price are all graduates of the school.
"That says a lot about the program we had at Hillcrest," Morris said. "It's great to see all these guys have the impact on the program and do a lot for the teams here at Ole Miss.
"It's great to see these guys doing well in college athletics."
Morris, a senior pitcher/designated hitter, is the eldest of the four. Smith, a freshman right fielder, said that Morris has helped him adjust, twice.
"It's just a comfort to know that you're going to know somebody on the team," Smith said. "Coming to Ole Miss, (Morris) just helped me out and helped me learn the ropes here just like he did in high school."
Cliburn is a junior infielder, but is in his first year wearing the Rebel pinstripes after transferring from Meridian Community College. Price is a junior, two-year letter winner.
Having so much talent at the same high school did pay its dividends. Morris led the school's baseball program to three consecutive state championships (3A in 1996 and 4A in 1997 and 1998). Smith was a member of two of those teams as an eight grader and a freshman (1997 and 1998). Cliburn was also a part of the 1998 team.
Price led the Hillcrest softball team to three consecutive state titles from 1995-97.
Smith said he has enjoyed being able to play with Morris and Cliburn.
"It was fun," Smith said. "Glen was a stud in high school. I remember when we got Cliburn and he was incredible.
"It was fun playing with them because they were the best around. Coming up here and being able to be a part of it, and play at the same level as they are is something special."
Ole Miss head baseball coach Mike Bianco said that Hillcrest coach Paul Wyczawski also did a great job of getting the trio ready to play college ball.
"Coach Wyczawski has done a great job," Bianco said. "All of the kids have come out of the program knowing the game."
And all three have been major contributors at some time for the Rebels.
Smith has excelled in his first year in Oxford. Smith leads the team in hitting (.404) and RBI (43). He is second in on-base percentage (.462), and tied for third in homeruns (4) and slugging percentage (.540).
Smith's batting average is second in the SEC and his on-base percentage is fifth. He currently holds the Ole Miss freshman records for hits (65), singles (52), total bases (87), and RBI (43). He is on pace to set the freshman records for batting average and on-base percentage.
Price said Smith has come far in his first year.
"I think it's kind of funny," Price said. "Coming in as a freshman, he was nervous. He didn't even know if he was really going to play.
"But he just came up there relaxed and I knew he could do it. He's just a great athlete and it happened."
Cliburn, who is mostly used as a pinch-hitter or a starter against left-handed pitchers, has come up with a couple of clutch hits.
His three-run home run against Vanderbilt on April 6 led the Rebels to a 6-1 win.
His pinch-hit seventh inning double against Alabama April 21 tied the game that the Rebels would win 5-2.
"That's two conference wins that we might not have if (Cliburn's) not here, not in the lineup," Bianco said.
Morris' career has been hampered by injuries. Last season, despite elbow surgery that kept him inactive until March, he finished second in the SEC in saves with nine. He has missed most of this season. He has a career 2.67 ERA and has also hit .237 with 5 HR and 29 RBI.
Price, who is one of just four players on the softball team with at least two years of Ole Miss experience, has become one of the leaders of the team.
"She's been around the longest and she knows how to help the team understand what they need to do to win at this level," Ole Miss softball coach Candi Letts said.
"We feel this team being young can have success and she understands where she's got to help them get to that level."
Price, who had a 63-4 career record at Hillcrest, said that playing for the school helped her learn a lot about teamwork.
"We learned how to grow hard as a team and work hard together and know that nobody can do it by themselves," Price said.
Price ranks third in the Ole Miss record book in career complete games (35) and strikeouts (199) and fourth in career appearances (65) and innings pitched (331).
On the season, Price is 5-8 with a 2.94 ERA.
Price said the four from Hillcrest are working to earn a reputation for the school.
"I think people know we're from Hillcrest which means we're all hard working," Price said.
