By By Robby Atkinson/Special to The Star
April 11, 2001
The Meridian Community College Eagles used six home runs to fuel a two-game sweep of Danville in local junior college baseball action.
MCC will host Delgado this weekend in a three-game series at Scaggs Field.
The Eagles stand at the top of the Miss-Lou Conference with a record of 4-2 and Delgado enters the series tied with Bossier Parish for second place with a record of 4-5.
The series begins Friday at Scaggs Field with a doubleheader slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
Meridian 11, Danville 4: The Eagles used a five-run second inning to take the win. Meridian struck first in the contest with a run in the first inning off an RBI double by Rory Thornton to give the Eagles the early lead.
MCC plated five huge runs in the second inning of action to take a large lead. The first run came off a solo home run by former Meridian High star Tyler Scarbrough to start the offensive outburst for the Eagles.
Former Lamar standout Robert Daggett delivered a single followed by a Trave Hopkins baseknock to create another threat. One run scored on a double by Matt McClesky to make the score 3-1.
Travis Garner extended the lead with a mammoth three-run home run to give the Eagles the lead for good. Meridian added two more runs in the third off back-to-back home runs by Daggett and shortstop Lance Dawkins.
The Eagles added a few more insurance runs to hold on for the 11-4 victory. Former West Lauderdale hurler Chord Robinson got the pitching win for Meridian and improved his season record to 3-2.
Aaron King took the loss for Danville, as the Jaguars were lead in offense by Alfonso Lopez who had a pair of singles.
Meridian 7, Danville 3: MCC used the long ball once again to secure another win over the Jaguars. Meridian scored quickly in the first inning with an RBI double by Josh Raggio to give the Eagles an early 1-0 advantage.
Danville tied the game in the second inning with an RBI single by Alfonso Lopez evening the game at 1-1. MCC quickly answered in the following inning with a pair of runs with one coming on an RBI double by Garner to make the score 3-1. The Eagles added yet another run on a home run by Chris Wright to extend the lead to 4-1.
MCC put the game away on a two run home run by Dustin Cliburn to secure the victory. Cliburn has 12 home runs for the Eagles this season and is batting .370.
Jason Wimberly got the win and improved his record to 4-1, while Brock Slavik took the loss for Danville. The Eagles are now 26-11. while Danville dropped to 14-16.
Danville returns to action with a single game against East Mississippi today beginning at 1 p.m at Scooba.