JCJC Baseball Player Signs With Southern Miss

Jones County, Miss. - The chance of jumping from junior college baseball to D-1A baseball is sometimes a hard thing to accomplish, but one JCJC player just made his big move to play for Southern Miss.

Catcher Mason Irby said, "It feels amazing, it's kind of surreal, but humbling to get this opportunity."

Hard work pays off, but Mason Irby is grateful for his coaches that helped him get better.

Irby said, "I couldn't have asked for much more for the past couple of years with them. And then, pushing me to be the best that I can be the past couple years and getting me to be where I am now. I just can't thank them enough for that."

And coach Ostrander couldn't be any happier for Irby to make this jump in his baseball career.

JCJC Baseball Head Coach, Christian Ostrander said, "Just very excited for Mason. I never had a player more deserving of this and just what he is and what he stands for, not just as a player on the field, which obviously speaks for itself, All-American last year, but the person he is off the field and what he brings, and obviously what he brought to our program and what he's going to bring to Southern Miss as well."

JCJC has had a history of sending their players to USM and Irby is looking forward to carrying on the tradition.

Irby said, "It's like a rich tradition down there and great coaches, great facilities, just all around a great program, looking forward for a chance to try and win a championship down there."