RAYMOND – At Hinds Community College, days like today are considered the fun, almost off days during a grueling baseball season.

It’s gameday in Raymond, considered by many as an off day from the brutal practices that arrived with coach Sam Temple.

&#8220It’s so much more intense, like a job,” said HCC infielder Zach Balthrop, one of three former Warren Central players on the Eagles’ roster. &#8220We got class until 11, lift weights from 12 to 2, then practice from 2 to 6:30 or 7 every night.”

Balthrop never played for Temple in high school, but came up through the WC program and watched many games when the fiery coach took the field for the Vikings. Balthrop, Mark Different and John Rice Pettway are the only three players from Warren County at HCC.

Temple has already received commitments from Warren Central’s Nick Carson and Eric Douglas as well as Vicksburg High slugger Steven Price. It’s part of Temple’s grand plan to bring Hinds back to state and national recognition.

&#8220We’ll be up there,” Pettway said. &#8220People know all about coach Temple and what he has done.”

Hinds is no stranger to baseball success, having reached the playoffs 14 times and winning five state championships. Rick Clarke resigned after last season opening the door for Temple, who had been an assistant coach at Mississippi College.

He has said repeatedly that he wants to blanket Warren County for recruiting and wants Vicksburg to consider Hinds as their junior college.

The Eagles are scheduled to play a weekend tournament at Bazinsky Field, the Wes Cliburn Classic, over the first weekend in March. Southwest, Mississippi Delta, Hinds and Kishwakee, Ill., are scheduled to participate.

It’s an event Temple said he wants to put in Vicksburg permanently.

Hinds is scheduled to play a doubleheader today against Gulf Coast at 1 and 4 p.m.

Hinds is not the only school opening its baseball season this week. Southern Miss and Mississippi College are scheduled to play on Wednesday, while Ole Miss is set to start this weekend.

Southern Miss catcher Kevin Coker, who starred at Warren Central, was recently named captain for the upcoming season. The senior is getting ready to start full-time at catcher for the first time in his college career.

&#8220It was a landslide victory as the players voted on it,” USM coach Corky Palmer said. &#8220Kevin is a guy that gives everything that he has, and he is a joy to coach. He’s overachieved with his talent, because when he first got here, I didn’t even know if he’d be able to play. Now, we can’t get on the field without him.”

Coker earned his captain’s spot shortly after Ole Miss tapped Justin Henry as captain. The sure-handed leadoff hitter batted nearly .400 last season and is expected to play second base.

The Rebels are coming off an historic season that saw the team win a regional and come within one win of advancing to the College World Series.

Joey Lieberman will enter the Division I baseball ranks this season with the University of Memphis.

&#8220Joey’s doing good but he’s in a battle for playing time right now, because he’s behind a pair of experienced starters,” Memphis coach Daron Schoenrock said &#8220He had a good fall and could see some action as our DH.”

Lieberman helped lead Meridian to the Region 23 Championship and a berth in the Division I National Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colo., in his redshirt freshman season.

Aaron George, who starred at St. Aloysius, is entering his senior season at South Alabama.

Several are hoping to land some players in the major leagues as well.

Taylor Tankersley got off to a rough start in the Arizona Fall League in 2005, but finished strong in his final three outings – not allowing a hit or run over five innings.

The Marlins’ first-round pick in 2004 struggled in a starting role in his first full season, going 3-7, with a 4.70 ERA in 90 innings.

He pitched exclusively out of the pen in Arizona and appears to be headed there permanently for 2006.

Tankersley could start the season in Double-A Carolina, which is in the Southern League with the Mississippi Braves. The Braves will host the Mudcats in August.

Shea Douglas has been battling nagging arm injuries since his standout career at Southern Miss and is hoping this is his breakout season.

He has been working out at Warren Central to strengthen his left arm. He is still in the Cleveland Indians’ system, but does not know where he will be assigned.

Pettway spent last season with the Auburn Doubledays of the New York-Penn League.

The change from an aluminum bat, which he used throughout high school and college, to the wooden bats of the pros proved a challenging obstacle.

In 50 games with the Doubledays, Pettway hit .225 with six home runs and 25 RBIs. He played in 56 games.

He said he plans to report to Dunedin, Fla., later this month or in early March.

Craig Newton completed his first season in pro ball and is looking forward to spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals organization later this month in Jupiter, Fla.

&#8220The head scout for the Cardinals said that I did good with the opportunities I had and they had good reports on me,” Newton said while working out recently at Warren Central.

Newton finished second to Pettway for the Ferriss Trophy in 2005. The award is given to the top college player in Mississippi.