Southern Miss alum Hayden Roberts now calling pitches at Pascagoula

When the Major League Baseball first year-player draft was still 40 rounds long, guys like Southern Miss alum Hayden Roberts still got the chance to live out their dream, in his case, as a Draft Day selection of the Colorado Rockies.

Into memories the mis- when the major league baseball- first-year player draft was - still - 40 rounds long... guys like - southern miss alum hayden - roberts... still got the chance- to live out their dream -- in - his - case -- as a draft day- selection... of the colorado- rockies.- four years later... roberts say- it was that dream... that - paved the way for a new dream..- the one he's living now...- as the pitching coach... at - pascagoula high school.

- - nat ---> standing ovation - it's been a while since hayden- roberts got a standing- - - - ovation... like the one he- received on championship sunday- in 20-16... - and he's okay with that.- "i thought that once we started playing that i would get the- itch to want to play again.

- but i'm happy to say i don't.

I- don't want to play anymore.

I - want to teach the guys that - - - - they may be able to get the sam- opportunity that i was given."

From alma bryant high school in- irvington, alabama... to- overcoming tommy john surgery,- at then alabama - southern community college... t- drawing the 20-17 - opening day start, at southern- miss... roberts made- good on opportunities, at every- level.- a week after u-s-m hosted its - first n-c-double-a- regional, in 14 years... robert- heard his name called.- "it's definitely a dream come true.

I get chills still talkin- about it.

I mean hearing my - name, 34th round, i don't care.- i mean i'm a professional - baseball player."

But after spending three- seasons, in the rockies - organization... roberts topped- out, with the high-a lancaster- jet-hawks... before his eventua- release, in 20-19.- "there at the end i figured out it was kind of time for me to - get out of the playing.

I - - - knew i still wanted to be in th- game.

But as far as the playing- days i figured i'd had- enough.

I always say you take - pre-workout at 7 o'clock at - night to get ready for the- seventh, eighth inning at nine- o'clock."

- - - with a better sleep schedule in- mind... roberts figured the bes- way to scratch his baseball - itch... was through - coaching.

- enter pascagoula alum and forme- u-s-m teammate tracy- hadley... the middle ground - between roberts... and- head coach richie tillman... wh- hired roberts, back in- september... eight years after- the slider-heavy- right-hander... helped the- panthers win the 5-a state- championship... in some weird..- convoluted way.

- "actually in 2012, the year we won the state championship, we- went over and played- them i believe in robertsdale,- and he pitched extremely well - and beat us.

That - might've woke our team up and w- played a little bit better afte- that."

"my favorite part, knowing that i had to start that night or- - - - knowing that i was on the docke- to pitch was that i had some- kind of control over the game,- and the - exact opposite is here with - coaching."

Roberts says he at least gets t- - - call the game, from the - dugout... pulling double duty a- both the varsity pitching - coach...- and the middle school head- coach.- "i always say the main thing that translates from minor- league ball to pretty much any- kind of baseball is passion.

If- you've got passion for it,- especially in the minor - - - - leagues, you play 144 games, an- you have to love the game in- order to get up and - play it every single day.

Cause- that's your job at that point.- and kind of take that to- coaching because every single - day you get up and that's your- mindset is baseball - and you come out here and try t- help these guys to be fortunate- enough to - get what i was given."

Certainly relatable to a rising- star like keilon parnell... - who's already committed to- mississippi state... as just a- sophomore.- and as things continue to come- full circle, for the former - golden eagle... it's entirely - possible he was born to not onl- play the game he loves... but - coach it... too.- "well, he has the right intensity and the right - calmness, the ability to relate- to players.

He- - - - just has the 'it' factor i- think.

Baseball will afford you- so many opportunities even- - after you get done playing, lik- this right here.

I'm the- pitching coach at pascagoula, - so i mean if i don't get that - chance, you never know what - comes after that.

I - think i plan to do