By By Adam Robinson
Sports Editor
By Adam Robinson
Sports Editor
The last time recent W.S. Neal High School graduate and baseball player William Shell stepped off the baseball field from a game, it was not the best of situations.
His team had just fallen 22-8 to UMS-Wright and ended their season with a 10-8 record.
UMS scored 12 runs in the top of the sixth inning to get the 14-run win.
Shell started the game on the mound and left due to arm troubles after allowing seven runs on seven hits, struck out five, walked two and hit four batters.
Offensively, Shell was 3-for-3 with a single, double and a homerun and three RBIs.
Shell said he had an MRI last week and it showed nothing was torn.
While his career ended with good things in his last game, Shell was unsure about his future of playing any more baseball.
After seeing his high school career end, things got better the next Monday when Jefferson Davis Community College head baseball coach Darrell Blevins called Shell and asked if he wanted to play baseball at JDCC.
Shell accepted Blevins’ offer.
Shell said he started playing baseball early in life.
Shell played baseball all the way up to high school where he was the No. 1 starting pitcher for the Eagles.
Shell, who has seen a lot of success in the game of baseball, has one fond memory of his high school career.
Shell said he contributes his success to one person: his dad Joey Shell.
Shell was recently selected to play in the Brewton Lions Club East-West All Star game.
He played in the game but could not pitch due to his tendinitis in his arm.
Shell has been helping out JDCC in their recent baseball camp for kids.
Helping with the baseball camp may be just what Shell needs for his future plans.
This past season, the 2009 JDCC baseball team advanced to the state tournament and had their best season in recent years. Shell said he hopes to bring more to the program and help continue the recent success.
Blevins had good things to say about Shell as well.
Shell said that mainly seeing how good he can actually be when he has a workout program to follow is one thing he looks forward to in college baseball.
Shell finished ranked in the top-10 of his high school class. While Shell excelled in his grades in school, he also was a letter winner in three sports his senior season as he played football, basketball, and baseball.
Shell advised young players who are struggling or not making All Stars not to give up.