Pettway wins Ferriss Trophy as state's top baseball player

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Brian Pettway of Mississippi won the Boo Ferriss Trophy on Monday night as the top college baseball player in the state.<br> <br> Pettway was voted the winner by a panel of major league scouts, coaches and media from across Mississippi, and was introduced during a ceremony at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.<br> <br> Former American League President and ex-New York Yankees third baseman Bobby Brown was the keynote speaker before Pettway was presented the award.<br> <br> The finalists were Pettway, Ole Miss teammate Stephen Head, Craig Newton of Delta State and Garner Wetzel of Millsaps.<br> <br> Head, a pitcher-first baseman from Raymond, won the trophy in 2004, its inaugural year. He finished the regular season fourth with 60 RBIs and tied for fourth with 17 home runs. On the mound, he was seventh with a 2.73 ERA.<br> <br> Pettway, an outfielder from Vicksburg, led the Southeastern Conference with a .400 batting average and was tied for sixth with 57 RBIs and tied for fourth in homers with 17. He also is a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, given to the top college baseball player in the nation.<br> <br> Newton, a catcher from Vicksburg, helped defending national champion Delta State reach the Division II World Series for the second straight year. He led the Statesmen with 13 home runs and 66 RBIs, and finished the regular season with a .358 average.<br> <br> Wetzel, an infielder from Gulfport, led the Majors in most offensive categories, including batting average (.422) and homers (12).<br> <br> The trophy is named for Dave ``Boo&#39;&#39; Ferriss, a native of Shaw who starred for Mississippi State and the Boston Red Sox before coaching at Delta State for more than 30 years.<br> <br> It is sponsored by Cellular South.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)