PURVIS – Jo Jo Parker said he had dreamed of playing college baseball for Mississippi State since childhood; Jacob Parker said he initially preferred Ole Miss.
It seems Jo Jo’s powers of persuasion were the more effective, because Wednesday afternoon the twin brothers signed to continue their careers as MSU Bulldogs during a program at the Glenn Swan Fine Arts Center on the PHS campus.
“Mississippi State has been a lifelong dream of mine,” said Jo Jo Parker, who is a shortstop and pitcher for the Tornadoes.
“Since second grade, I’ve been wanting to play baseball for Mississippi State. When the teacher would ask what we wanted to be when we grew up, I’d say I want to be a Mississippi State baseball player.”
The Parker Brothers, who have been the backbone of the storied Purvis program for the past four seasons, joined six other senior Tornado athletes who signed college scholarship letters of intent on the first day of early fall signing for sports other than football.
Joining the Parkers on the signing stage from Tornado baseball were Cannon Turner and Ethan Walker, who will play for Pearl River Community College.
The Class 4A state championship volleyball team will send two seniors to Southwest Mississippi CC, Dylan Carroll and Hattie Tynes, and the Purvis softball program had two girls sign, Chelsea Regan with Meridian CC and Allee Williamson, who signed with Mississippi Gulf Coast. Tynes also stars for the Tornadoes in softball, but she will focus on volleyball at Southwest.
“The combined record of these three programs over their careers is 210-76, with baseball and softball still to go with this group,” said Purvis athletic director Patrick Lee. “I’d say that’s a job well done.”
While all eight seniors were properly honored, the Parker brothers, as Division I signees, drew much of the attention.
Both twins made the varsity as seventh-graders in the brief 2020 season, then took on starting – and starring – roles as eighth-graders in 2021.
“This is a special day in the lives of these four young men, and hopefully we’ll have a few more signing in the spring,” said Farlow. “These kids have a big part of our program for a long, long time. I’m losing some really good baseball players.
“If you look at what Jacob and Jo Jo have meant to our program the past five years, the leadership, the pitching, the outfield play, the infield play. I know when this year winds down, you may see me crying when I come off the field for the last time.”
Indeed, the veteran Tornado mentor may just ride off into the sunset with them, because by any measure they’ve been among the very best Farlow has coached in 38 seasons of coaching high school baseball.
Last year, Jacob Parker, who pitches and patrols centerfield for Purvis, batted .464 with 7 home runs, 10 doubles and 28 runs-batted-in. He also stole 28 bases and finished with OPS 1.490. On the mound, Jacob was 5-0 with a 2.40 earned-run-average, 66 strikeouts and 16 walks.
Jo Jo Parker, a shortstop and pitcher, hit .422, with 5 homers, 12 doubles and 35 RBIs. He had 15 steals and his OPS was 1.221. As a pitcher, he was 4-2 with a 2.65 ERA, 37 strikeouts and 16 bases on balls.
They were even better in 2023, when they led the Tornadoes to their fourth Class 4A state championship.
Jacob hit. 487, with 15 homers, 15 doubles and 44 RBIs, along with an 8-1 pitching record, with a 1.62 ERA and 85 strikeouts. Jo Jo hit .434 with 14 homers, 9 doubles and 42 RBIs and was 2-2 on the mound.
“It’s a great program, great coaches, great facilities,” said Jacob Parker. “There’s great people up there, and I’m excited about going up there and play with my brother. It’s special.
“I grew up rooting for a different team in the state, but I eventually flipped my mind. The coaches felt like family there. We’re both different players, but we both bring unique abilities, so hopefully, we’ll be able to get it done in the batter’s box.”
Joseph Parker, the twins’ dad said this was a crowning moment for him and his family, and he said once the twins got a good look at the Starkville campus, even Jacob was on board with going to State.
“Super proud moment,” said Parker, who serves Lamar County as county attorney. “These boys have worked hard all of their lives just to have this moment. So to put the final nail in the coffin is a special moment for us.
“It just felt like home for them. We loved getting to know the coaches, the staff there, everybody just feels like family. It’s a small environment, with a great atmosphere, fan base is fantastic, and they want to go over there and win a World Series.”
Farlow’s other two senior signees will join the championship caliber program under Michael Avalon at PRCC.
Walker, the starting catcher for Purvis, hit .260, with 31 RBIs, and his 9 home runs were tops among all players in Class 4A. But he also emerged last season as one of the Tornadoes’ ace pitchers, with a 6-0 record, 2.70 ERA, 57 strikeouts and only 10 walks.
Turner, who alternated between third base and the outfield, hit .272 with 10 doubles, 21 RBIs and a pair of homers.
“One thing I remember about Ethan Walker was two years ago in the Sumrall series (for South State),” said Farlow. “He was sick, didn’t know if he was going to be able to play. He shows up and hits the game-winning home run, and we were going to the state championship series.
“Then, in the state championship game, we’re in a bit of spot, and we need a pitcher. Don’t know if we’re going to have to play the next day or not, but Cannon Turner came in and gave us two scoreless innings and we won the state championship.”
In three seasons since taking over the Purvis softball program, Lindsay Robertson has built the Tornadoes into a strong contender in Class 4A, reaching the state finals last spring.
Regan batted .381, with eight doubles and 32 RBIs, plus she was the team’s leading pitcher, with 109 strikeouts in 117 innings of work. Williamson, the starting catcher for Purvis, hit .356, with 18 doubles and a team-high 37 RBIs.
“I just want to say that we are blessed with these student-athletes,” said Robertson. “That goes for the gentlemen and the young ladies.
“All three of my seniors are here today to celebrate the continuation of their athletic careers. Hattie, Chelsea and Allee have stood by us since their sophomore season to build this program into what it is today.”
This is the second year in a row that Purvis volleyball has sent two players on to the next level, as fifth-year coach Kaitlyn Aycock has built the Tornadoes in a 4A power, winning the South State title last year and winning it with a dramatic comeback victory last month at Oxford.
“Dylan was a stabilizing force for us in the back this year,” said Aycock. “We celebrate the impact she’s had on her teammates and this program.
“Today, we also celebrate Hattie’s decision to play at the next level with the dedication, hard work and passion that brought her here. As our setter, she’s an important part of our team. It requires vision, quick decision-making and trust for her teammates.”
Carroll played mostly as the libero, a specialized defensive player, as well as a defensive specialist., while Tynes served primarily as a setter.
After it was over, the seniors in baseball and softball can now look forward to playing in the spring with the big college decision behind them.
“I’m focused on Purvis right now,” said Jo Jo Parker. “But after that, I’m ready to go to Mississippi State.”
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