MSU signee Derrick Armstrong
Courtesy: hailstate.comSTARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State University has signed outfielder Derrick Armstrong of Columbia, Tenn., to a national letter of intent in baseball, MSU head baseball coach John Cohen announced this week.Armstrong is a 5-8, 190-pound centerfielder at Columbia State (Tenn.) Community College, where he enters the week sporting a sizzling .403 batting average (through 40 games).
"Our goal this spring was to sign an offensive junior college outfielder, and Derrick fits that mold," said Cohen. "He is a great student and athlete with a nice mixture of speed and power."
The Bulldog signee has helped lead CSCC to a 33-7 overall mark and a conference-leading 18-3 record in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association. A 40-game starter, Armstrong ranks among the team leaders with 54 hits, 40 runs scored, 51 RBI, 15 stolen bases (in 15 attempts) and 18 extra-base hits, including five triples and four home runs.
As a freshman in 2011 Armstrong hit .391 with three home runs, nine doubles, 22 RBI and paced his team with 23 stolen bases and 41 runs scored.
"Derrick was the first player that I knew I wanted when I took the coaching job here at Columbia State," said Chargers coach Mike Corn. "He is one of those players that will do something every game that makes you know he is on the field. He's a wonderful young man from a great family, and I am so happy that he has chosen to continue his education in Starkville at Mississippi State."
Armstrong was a three-time all-district performer for coach Mark Pickle at Columbia Central High School, where he earned all-state and district MVP honors as a senior in 2010.
He is the son of Felicia and Michael Armstrong of Columbia, Tenn.
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