Whitten helps lead Miss. College his senior season

By Myra Bean
Chance Whitten of Batesville is one of eight seniors on the Mississippi College baseball team this year.
This squad is 1-10 after the weekend run-in against No. 17/19 ranked West Florida. The Choctaws lone win was one game against Florida Tech opening weekend.
Early in his senior year, Whitten said it has been rough in a phone interview.
“I am trying to get out here and be a good role model for the freshmen, basically build the program starting with them,” he said.
Whitten played two years at East Central before transferring to Mississippi College. He batted .270 for the Warriors with 73 hits, including 22 extra base hits and 52 RBIs.
Last year, he batted .236 for the Choctaws.
He plays first base, right field and anywhere the team needs him.
So far this year he is .259 with seven hits, four runs, two homeruns, six RBIs, two walks, one hit by a pitch and seven strikeouts. On defense, he has 46 put outs, two assists and one error.
Going from high school to junior college to university level, Whitten has learned a lot about the game and business of baseball.
“I would say you respect the game a lot more as you get older,” Whitten said. “When you are in high school you just see spurts of it. Then you get to JUCO you dig a little deeper and when you get to four-year university you see the nitty gritty, the good, the bad, the ugly.
“It’s worth it,” he continued. “I guess you get to see all the sides of it. It’s also fun.”
Whitten is finishing his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science in May. This major is what personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches go through.
This major has helped him in the classroom and on the field.
“My major has helped me understand why we do some of the things we do,” he said. “Baseball has helped me comprehend some of the things we go over in class. I guess it is kind of a two-way street there.”
Mississippi College is in the Gulf South Conference with Delta State, West Florida, West Alabama, Shorter, Union University, Christian Brothers, West Georgia, Valdosta State, North Alabama, Alabama-Huntsville (UAH) and Lee, Tenn.
Whitten expects Delta State and West Alabama to be some of their toughest conference foes. Delta State went a long way last year and did not lose too many players.
“We are just a young program and we are trying to make it to the GSC and World Series,” Whitten said.