The future looks bright for Gage Palmer and Dee Morgan. The future, at least for a day, is also now.

Palmer, a sophomore pitcher and infielder for Porter’s Chapel Academy, and the junior pitcher/infielder Morgan from Tallulah Academy, were both selected to play in the MAIS Class 2A/3A/4A Futures Game.

The game will be played Monday at 10 a.m. at Mississippi College, and is part of a daylong all-star baseball bash. The Class 2A/3A All-Star Game will follow at 1 p.m. The Class 5A/6A Futures Game will be play

ed at 4 p.m. and the 4A/5A/6A All-Star Game at 7. Admission is $10 per person.

The Futures games are for underclassmen and will be seven innings long. The all-star games for seniors and are scheduled for nine innings.

Tallulah Academy infielder Todd Etheridge was selected to play in the Class 2A/3A All-Star Game.

Central Hinds’ Hagan Coumbe and Luke Knight will play in the 4A/5A/6A All-Star Game. Andrew Burgess, Kent McArthur and Ryan Etheridge were selected to play in the Futures Game, and Chris Etheridge will be an assistant coach.

Palmer emerged as an ace pitcher for PCA in his second season as a starter. In 72 1/3 innings he had 105 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA, to go along with a 6-4 record and two saves.

Palmer also batted .364 with 14 RBIs and 29 runs scored.

“I didn’t expect to get anything like that early. That’s just accomplishing goals for me right there at an early age,” Palmer said of his selection to the Futures Game. “I feel like if I keep showing out I might have people notice me and may get offers to colleges — hopefully.”

Morgan and Etheridge were equally important to Tallulah Academy’s success. They helped lead the Trojans to the Class 1A championship in 2021, and then to the Class 3A semifinals this season.

Etheridge batted .542 with 32 RBIs, and 21 of his 45 hits went for extra bases. He hit 12 doubles, five triples and four home runs, and scored 38 runs.

Morgan was second on the team with a .452 batting average. He hit 13 doubles, five home runs, drove in 37 runs and scored 31.

Both players were also excellent pitchers. Morgan pitched in 20 of the Trojans’ 31 games and finished 7-3 with two saves. He racked up 116 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings.

Etheridge pitched 36 1/3 innings in 13 appearances. He had a 3-4 record with one save, and 51 strikeouts.

MAIS BASEBALL ALL-STAR GAMES
Monday, at Mississippi College
• Class 2A/3A/4A Futures Game, 10 a.m.
• Class 2A/3A/4A All-Star Game, 1 p.m.
• Class 5A/6A Futures Game, 4 p.m.
• Class 5A/6A All-Star Game, 7 p.m.