2008 Baseball Roster
Roster
Aaron Weatherford
- Position:
- RHP
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 187
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Crystal Springs, MS
- High School/Previous School:
- Fairhope [AL] HS
CAREER:
Second-team preseason NCBWA All-American as the ace of the MSU bullpen ? Enters his junior campaign with an 8-4 record with seven saves and a 3.81 career earned run average in 40 games ? Hard-throwing righty who has totaled 115 strikeouts in 106-1/3 innings ? On the initial watch list for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Player of the Year Award and the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award ? Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Leadership Team.
2007:
Took the hill in 20 games as a sophomore, compiling a 3-2 record with five saves and a 3.53 earned run average ? Opened the year as MSU’s lead weekend starter, drawing six game-opening assignments ? Moved to the bullpen in early April and registered five saves while allowing but six earned runs over 29-2/3 innings in 14 relief appearances (1.82 ERA) ? Worked five innings or better in each of his six starts, including career-longest back-to-back seven-inning stints against Winthrop (Mar. 9) and at Florida (Mar. 16) ? Earned wins in three of his first four starts against Murray State (Feb. 23), Troy (Mar. 2) and at Florida (Mar. 16) ? Struck out a season-high and career-best 11 over six innings in the season-opener against Murray State ? Touched for eight runs and 10 hits over 5-1/3 innings and absorbed his lone loss as a starter against South Carolina (Mar. 23) ? Ended his starting status with a no-decision five-inning start against Kentucky (Mar. 30) ? Made impressive debut in relief in Pearl, Miss., against South Alabama (Apr. 11) ? Fanned five of six batters faced, including three to get out of an inherited bases-loaded situation ? Allowed one run in his first five relief appearances ? Notched his first save with two innings of scoreless two-hit relief in MSU’s 4-3 win at Tennessee (Apr. 13) ? Also earned saves against Southern Miss (Apr. 25), Auburn (May 4), at Florida State (June 3) and against Clemson (June 9) ? Pitched three innings and allowed two unearned runs to take the loss in a 3-1 setback to LSU (Apr. 22) ? Blanked rival Mississippi (Apr. 22) in a gutsy seven-inning stint in MSU’s 17-inning 4-1 win over the Rebels ? Struck out 32 over 29-2/3 innings in his 14 relief appearances, holding opponents to a .170 batting average ? Sparkled in NCAA regional and super regional competition, allowing one hit with four walks and 10 strikeouts in four appearances (5-2/3 innings) ? Picked up saves against both Florida State and Clemson ? Pitched 1-2/3 innings in the College World Series in MSU’s season finale against Louisville (June 17) ? Finished with a 1-2 record, two saves and a 4.36 ERA in nine SEC appearances (three starts) ? Named to the 2007 SEC Baseball Academic honor Roll.
2006:
Appeared in 20 games as a true freshman, drawing a pair of late-season starts ? Compiled a 5-2 record with two saves and a 4.28 earned run average ? Finished third on the MSU staff with 43 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched ? Made his MSU debut against Marist College (Feb. 26), striking out two batters and picking up the staff’s first save of the campaign ? Later earned his other save with a six-strikeout, 2-2/3 inning performance against Memphis at AutoZone Park (Mar. 19) ? Allowed one run (earned) in his first 10 outings in relief (16 innings) ? Earned wins in relief against Arizona (Mar. 12), Birmingham-Southern (Mar. 28), Louisiana-Monroe (Apr. 5), at Auburn (Apr. 15) and against UNC Asheville in the NCAA Clemson Regional (June 3) ? Established a season-high with seven strikeouts in three innings of scoreless relief against Birmingham-Southern (Mar. 28) ? Scattered a season-high nine hits but allowed just two runs in a winning career-longest 5-1/3 relief appearance at Auburn (Apr. 15) ? Absorbed losses in his two starts, working 2-2/3 innings at South Carolina (Apr. 28) and 3-2/3 innings against Florida (May 6) ? Blanked opponents in 14 of his 18 relief appearances ? Compiled a 1-2 record with 6.95 earned run average in 10 SEC appearances (22 innings) ? Among seven Bulldogs named to the 2006 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.
HIGH SCHOOL:
Four-year standout right-handed pitcher for coach Stu Fuller at Fairhope High School ? Compiled a 25-7 record with 319 strikeouts and a 1.49 career earned run average in four seasons with the Pirates ? Matched his career-best with 8-2 record, 1.45 earned run average and 121 strikeouts as a senior in 2005 ? Earned 2005 Louisville Slugger High School All-American and all-state honors ? Served as team captain in 2005 ? Tabbed as the Mobile Register’s Dandy Diamond Player of the Year ? Also named to the Alabama Sports Writers’ Super Twelve Team, the Birmingham-News Super All-State Team and was selected to play in the Alabama High School All-Star Game ? Two-year All-Baldwyn County performer ? Posted an 8-2 record with a 1.41 ERA as a junior, leading the Pirate pitchers with 81 strikeouts while tossing eight complete games ? Also a three-year regular and earned all-region honors as a quarterback on the FHS football team ? Member of the National Honor Society and recipient of a Presidential Academic Award.
PERSONAL:
Born Aaron Stanley Weatherford on December 19, 1986 in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. ? Son of Stanley and Vickie Weatherford, who moved from Fairhope, Ala., to Crystal Springs, Miss., in 2005 ? Grandson of the late L.V. Weatherford, a 1937 MSU basketball signee ? Majoring in general business administration.
