Bulldogs Adkins, Parks Star In Cal Ripken Sr. League; Earn All-League Honors

STARKVILLE, Miss. - A pair of Mississippi State baseball players have been named to the 2009 All-Cal Ripken, Sr. League Team. The 15-player all-league team was announced Friday by the eight-team CRSL based in Maryland and Virginia.

Outfielder Luke Adkins a senior from Nettleton, Miss., and senior infielder Jarrod Parks of Nettleton, Miss., are among four members of the Bethesda (Md.) Big Train squad that this summer rolled to the championship of the Cal Ripken, Sr., League.

During the 41-game season, Adkins led the league with a .380 batting average, belted 17 extra-base hits with 37 RBI, seven stolen bases and a .450 on-base percentage. Parks starred at shortstop for the Big Train, posting the league's third-highest batting average, .371. Parks paced the league with a .593 slugging percentage, belted 15 extra-base hits and ranked second in the CRSL with sixth home runs.

A third Mississippi State player, junior catcher Cody Freeman, also played for Bethesda this summer. The Collinsville, Miss., product hit .321 and drove in 17 runs in 16 games played.

All three players are currently involved in small group workouts at State in advance of the October 2 start of formal fall team practice at Mississippi State.