Former West Brook baseball star, two LU pitchers taken in MLB draft

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An already special week got a little better for former West Brook baseball standout James Ewing on Wednesday.

That's because Ewing, a second baseman for the College World Series-bound University of Southern Mississippi, got picked in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the New York Mets.

Before Ewing begins his professioinal baseball career, he'll play for Southern Miss in the College World Series, which opens this weekend in Omaha, Neb. Ewing and the Golden Eagles will play Sunday night against the University of Texas.

Ewing plays for Southern Miss with a twin brother, Michael, who also played at West Brook.

James Ewing is batting .314 with four home runs and 42 RBI and has played in 52 games this season. He has struck out just 18 times this season.

Ewing helped put Southern Miss in the College World Series when he turned a game-ending double play in a super regional series-cliniching game Sunday at Florida. He also hit a home run in that game.

In addition to Ewing, two Lamar University pitchers got picked in later rounds, right-handed senior Ricky Testa in the 18th round by the Colorado Rockies and right-handed junior James Brandhorst in the 20th by the Baltimore Orioles.

The three-day, 50-round baseball draft began Tuesday. Teams will complete 30 rounds today.