NATCHEZ — Former Vidalia High School and Southern Miss standout Barry Bowden had his baseball season set back before the season even began this year.

Bowden, a relief pitcher in the Kansas City Royals’ organization, partially tore his Ulnar Collateral Ligament in his elbow doing bullpen work and throwing live batting practice before spring training games began.

“It’s frustrating,” Bowden said. “You play to try to move up in the ranks, and grind out the season and you have a setback. But it’s all part of the game, and you have to take it as it comes.”

Bowden is currently at the Royals’ spring training site in Surprise, Ariz., rehabbing his injured elbow, he said.

“(Rehab) is a lot of shoulder exercises and a little bit of elbow and forearm stuff every day,” Bowden said.

Bowden said he is close to throwing bullpen sessions again and is currently working out throwing at 120 and 150 feet.

“Hopefully, if everything goes well, (I’ll be back) by early July,” he said.

Bowden is in his third season of professional ball, after being signed by Kansas City in 2008. He went 8-3 with a 2.12 ERA his senior season at Southern Miss and finished his career with a 23-13 record.

“I had a great career at Southern Miss,” Bowden said. “I made great friends, friends that will last forever and the coaches were great, we still stay in contact. It was a great atmosphere.”

Bowden also played under Vidalia coach Johnny Lee Hoffpauir.

“I had a great relationship with coach Hoffpauir and (his son) Jarrett (who is in the San Diego Padres’ organization). It was fun, and coach Hoffpauir made it fun. He didn’t put too much pressure on us and made it enjoyable,” Bowden said.

Bowden said his professional career was progressing nicely before he sustained his injury.

“(My career) has been going well,” he said. “I’ve had decent success, not great, but by no means bad. Each year I’ve moved up a level, and hopefully I can continue that.”

Bowden said the most important aspect of continuing his progression is staying healthy. He said he has no specific time in his mind that he expects to make it to the big leagues.

“Of course I would like to make it tomorrow,” he said. “It’s hard to put a time-table on it.”

Bowden went from being a starter in high school and college to a reliever in the pros, he said. He features a fastball and curveball.

“Out of high school I had a fastball and curveball. I developed a changeup at Southern (Miss), and that became my go to pitch,” he said. “I lost the feel for my (changeup), and basically I am a fastball, curveball guy again.”

Bowden said the life of a professional ball player can be tough.

“It’s definitely a grind,” he said. “You are away from your family six or seven months a year, and during the offseason you have to work out to get stronger and faster.”

Bowden said he still makes it back to Vidalia to visit family and friends.