Bio

Doug Thompson

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (1995-1997) / Baseball  
Biloxi, Mississippi

In Doug Thompson’s first baseball game for MGCCC on Monday, February 20, 1995, he struck out 10 East Mississippi players and walked only three in a 22-1 wipeout. He pitched a perfect game on March 1 against Bishop State (Alabama), and on March 25, he pitched a no-hitter against Co-Lin.

On top of this, he led the nation in strikeouts per inning and was second in overall strikeouts and ERA for the season. He made Mississippi Association of Junior and Community Colleges First Team and earned All-South State and All-State, and was named South Division Player of the Year. Also, he made the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American list, a rare honor for a freshman.

Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, he refused the offer to continue his education. In summer 1995, he was starting pitcher in play for the All-American Amateur Baseball League (AAABL) team that won the national championship in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. His sophomore year at Perk was much like his freshman year in that the Bulldog team again won South Division and then lost State and Region 23. But Thompson again racked up All-South State and All-State honors and was also named to the NJCAA All-Region 23 team. Again, he was selected NJCAA All-American, and the NJCAA also named him David Roland Male Student-Athlete of the Year.

He posted a 12-3 game record and an ERA of 1.16. He struck out 129 batters in 109 innings to lead the nation in that category. In addition to his physical prowess, he earned at 3.33 grade-point average and graduated from MGCCC with honors on May 13, 1996.

Thompson went on to play two seasons at LSU, where he was the winning pitcher in the 1997 College World Series championship game. He compiled a 24-8 record at LSU in 49 appearances, with 37 starts. He finished with a 4.44 ERA and 282 strikeouts in 245.1 innings, and the Tigers played in back-to-back CWS. In 1998, he was named All-America and All-Southeastern Conference.

The Colorado Rockies selected Thompson in the 1998 draft, and he pitched six seasons in the minors. He made it as far as Class AAA with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.