April 23, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford baseball coaching staff has announced the signing of Gardner Richey to a national letter of intent for the 2008 signing class.

"We couldn't be more excited about getting Gardner over here," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "He has been a consistent leader one of the top programs in the country his entire career. He is a good athlete with power and a little versatility defensively. Gardner is an outstanding young man from a great family and will be a great addition on and off the field at Samford."

Richey is one of number spring signees that will be announced in the upcoming days individually by the coaching staff. Recruiting Coordinator Tony David feels the staff has addressed the needs with this group.

"We have recruited at a high level with the first three classes being nationally ranked," David said. "But it was critical to raise that another level as we head into the Southern Conference. Gardner and the others we have signed are outstanding additions on and off the field and will hopefully help get us to the next level."

Gardner Richey (OF/3B, 6-3, 215, Tupelo HS, Tupelo, Miss.) is a big athletic power hitter that helped lead Tupelo High School to a No. 1 national ranking by Baseball America last week as they jumped out to a 25-0 record. As the teams top hitter he leads in nine offensive categories, including a .463 batting average, 38 runs, 37 hits, eight home runs, an .836 slugging percentage and a .604 on-base percentage. He also has six doubles, 27 walks and 40 RBI for the Golden Wave after 26 games played.

The Tupelo left-fielder is the 14th-ranked player in entire state of Mississippi. He carries a lifetime batting average of .405 for 5A Tupelo and has 23 career home runs, including five in playoff action. A three-year starter for the Golden Wave, Richey has hit in the three-hole for Tupelo throughout his career and has led the team in home runs each season.

Richey was the Wave's Most Valuable Offensive Player in 2007 hitting .357 with seven home runs and 45 RBI in helping them to a 34-5 record, a 5A North Mississippi runner-up finish and an overall No. 4 ranking in Mississippi. As a sophomore, Richey was selected as Most Improved Player and reached the .400 Club with a .414 average to go with seven home runs and 27 RBI.

Richey was named Pro-Day Baseball 1st Team All-American in 2008 and has been selected to play in the Mississippi All-Star Game in June. He is already a two-time Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal All-Area selection, a First-Team choice in `07. He was selected as one of the Top 20 Mississippi Underclassmen in 2007 by the Clarion-Ledger and All-Southeast Region Honorable Mention by Perfect Game in 2008.

Richey was also chosen to participate with the Mississippi Stars team in the 2007 Junior Sunbelt Classic. Richey played summer ball with Dulins Dodgers (Memphis, Tenn.) in 2007, leading them in the CABA World Series in Cleveland, Ohio, with a .407 batting average and a home run.

Richey will have an opportunity to contribute right away and has played several different positions in high school.