Bio

Tony Sipp

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (2002-2003) / Baseball
Moss Point, Mississippi

Tony Sipp became the first former Mississippi Gulf Coast player to earn a World Series ring when the Houston Astros clinched their first-ever title in 2017. Sipp left a lasting impression at Gulf Coast during his year playing for the Bulldogs.

Former Gulf Coast coach Cooper Farris brought up a sparkling performance among a host of them back in 2003. “We played Pearl River over there,” he said. “He was playing center field the first game, and I think he had three hits the first game. One of them was a home run to beat them. Then he pitched a one-hitter to beat them the second game. He kind of single-handedly beat them both games of a doubleheader.”

Sipp had 11 strikeouts in that second game, as well as stealing two bases. The only thing Farris failed to mention, combing through the MGCCC Archives, was that Sipp picked up the save in Game 1.

Leading the Bulldogs to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges South Division title, he went 9-2 with a 1.45 ERA, striking out 135 batters in 75 innings while walking only 14. He hit .365 with six home runs. He led the team at both the state and National Junior College Athletic Association Region 23 championships.

In remembering Sipp, Farris said, “He’s done well for himself. He played hard and practiced hard. He just liked being on the baseball field.”

By the time Sipp had finished his work at Perkinston, he’d put together quite the resume.

Sipp, who played high school ball at Moss Point, transferred to Gulf Coast after one season at Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Florida. He went on to play at Clemson, where he pitched and played outfield one season. He played his first major-league game in 2009 and has pitched 616 regular-season games and six postseason games with a 26-22 record and seven saves.

While with the Astros in 2017, he pitched in 46 games before being sidelined with a calf injury. He celebrated the world championship with his teammates after three postseason series victories.