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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Kessinger, Keenan Named Finalists for C Spire Ferriss Trophy
5/13/2019 | Baseball
Rebel Duo Selected as Two of Mississippi’s Five Best College Baseball Players
JACKSON, Miss. – Ole Miss baseball junior shortstop Grae Kessinger and sophomore third baseman Tyler Keenan have been selected as finalists for the C Spire Ferriss Trophy, as announced by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on Monday.
The C Spire Ferriss Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding college baseball player in the state of Mississippi. Southern Miss' Matt Wallner and Mississippi State's Ethan Small and Jake Mangum will join Keenan and Kessinger as the five finalists. The honorees are chosen by a vote of coaches and professional scouts.
The winner will be announced Monday, May 20, at a luncheon banquet held at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum beginning at 11:30 a.m. Players and coaches will be available for interviews at the event.
Former MSU player and MLB manager Nate "Buck" Showalter will be the featured guest speaker. Tickets are on sale now at the museum office or online at www.msfame.com. All proceeds from the event benefit the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Fans will be able to vote for their favorites by going to www.cspire.com/ferriss and casting a vote. C Spire will start fan voting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 14, and it will continue through noon on Saturday, May 18. The fan vote is a weighted 10% of the final vote.
Kessinger and Keenan have each enjoyed outstanding 2019 seasons for the Rebels.
Kessinger is currently on a 40-game reached-base streak, the longest active streak in the SEC and one of the longest in the nation. He's hitting a team-best .355 on the season with 55 runs scored, 17 doubles, 39 RBI while starting all 52 games this season at shortstop. He has walked 32 times compared to just 24 strikeouts. He's also 14-of-16 on stolen base attempts.
The junior out of Oxford, Mississippi, is also one of the best defensive shortstops in the nation, adding a number of outstanding plays to his highlight reel this season. He boasts a .964 fielding percentage and has made just two errors in the last 29 games.
Kessinger has been truly outstanding during SEC play, hitting .426 with 49 hits in 27 games with 25 runs scored, 10 doubles, three home runs and 25 RBI. He leads the SEC in hits and batting average during league play and his top-five in doubles, total bases and on-base percentage.
Keenan has started all 52 games at third base for the Rebels after entering the year as a preseason All-SEC second team selection. He's hitting .299 and leads the team with 11 home runs and 55 RBI.
The sophomore out of Clayton, N.C., has spent most of the season near the top of the nation's RBI charts. He's currently third in the SEC with 55 runs driven in. His 11 home runs are good for ninth in the conference.
Keenan is no stranger to earning awards. He was a freshman All-American in 2018, in addition to earning SEC Player of the Week once and SEC Freshman of the Week twice.
Keenan and Kessinger look to become the sixth Rebel to win the trophy, which is named for Mississippi baseball legend Boo Ferriss. Ole Miss outfielder Auston Bousfield took home the honor in 2014, joining previous Rebel winners Stephen Head (2004), Brian Pettway (2005), Scott Bittle (2008) and Drew Pomeranz (2010). Senior outfielder Ryan Olenek was a finalist for the award last season.
The C Spire Ferriss Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding college baseball player in the state of Mississippi. Southern Miss' Matt Wallner and Mississippi State's Ethan Small and Jake Mangum will join Keenan and Kessinger as the five finalists. The honorees are chosen by a vote of coaches and professional scouts.
The winner will be announced Monday, May 20, at a luncheon banquet held at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum beginning at 11:30 a.m. Players and coaches will be available for interviews at the event.
Former MSU player and MLB manager Nate "Buck" Showalter will be the featured guest speaker. Tickets are on sale now at the museum office or online at www.msfame.com. All proceeds from the event benefit the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Fans will be able to vote for their favorites by going to www.cspire.com/ferriss and casting a vote. C Spire will start fan voting at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 14, and it will continue through noon on Saturday, May 18. The fan vote is a weighted 10% of the final vote.
Kessinger and Keenan have each enjoyed outstanding 2019 seasons for the Rebels.
Kessinger is currently on a 40-game reached-base streak, the longest active streak in the SEC and one of the longest in the nation. He's hitting a team-best .355 on the season with 55 runs scored, 17 doubles, 39 RBI while starting all 52 games this season at shortstop. He has walked 32 times compared to just 24 strikeouts. He's also 14-of-16 on stolen base attempts.
The junior out of Oxford, Mississippi, is also one of the best defensive shortstops in the nation, adding a number of outstanding plays to his highlight reel this season. He boasts a .964 fielding percentage and has made just two errors in the last 29 games.
Kessinger has been truly outstanding during SEC play, hitting .426 with 49 hits in 27 games with 25 runs scored, 10 doubles, three home runs and 25 RBI. He leads the SEC in hits and batting average during league play and his top-five in doubles, total bases and on-base percentage.
Keenan has started all 52 games at third base for the Rebels after entering the year as a preseason All-SEC second team selection. He's hitting .299 and leads the team with 11 home runs and 55 RBI.
The sophomore out of Clayton, N.C., has spent most of the season near the top of the nation's RBI charts. He's currently third in the SEC with 55 runs driven in. His 11 home runs are good for ninth in the conference.
Keenan is no stranger to earning awards. He was a freshman All-American in 2018, in addition to earning SEC Player of the Week once and SEC Freshman of the Week twice.
Keenan and Kessinger look to become the sixth Rebel to win the trophy, which is named for Mississippi baseball legend Boo Ferriss. Ole Miss outfielder Auston Bousfield took home the honor in 2014, joining previous Rebel winners Stephen Head (2004), Brian Pettway (2005), Scott Bittle (2008) and Drew Pomeranz (2010). Senior outfielder Ryan Olenek was a finalist for the award last season.
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