By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
April 22, 2001
About all Meridian didn't get in its 13-0 five-inning rout of Long Beach Saturday afternoon at John Moss Field was a no-hitter.
Not that the Wildcats didn't come close as junior right-hander Jason Spinks lost his no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the top of the fifth.
Spinks (4-0) finished with a one-hit shutout. He struck out seven and walked one. The only other Bearcat to reach base came on catcher's interference in the fourth frame.
Spinks can blame his teammates for jinxing his no-hit attempt.
While Long Beach never got its offense untracked, the Wildcats scored early and often.
Meridian, 23-12, got seven runs on eight hits in the second inning and added six more runs in the third.
Torry Bates started the second-inning outburst with a triple in the right-field corner. Courtesy runner Greg Harris scored on a bunt single by Kris Barnett when nobody covered first base.
After a walk to Maxwell, Dione Hampton reached on an error to load the bases. Richmond Alexander beat out an infield hit to make it 2-0. After an RBI-single by John Stevens, Sanduan Dubose hit a two-run single to give the Wildcats a 5-0 lead off Bearcat starter Matt Burke.
Long Beach coach Mark Ross went to his bullpen only to have Ricky McMillian greet reliever Brian Switzer with a two-run single to give Meridian a 7-0 lead.
The Wildcats continued the onslaught in the third inning. Barnett led off with a single.
After Switzer retired the next two batters, Alexander drew a walk.
Stevens hit an RBI-double and Dubose followed with a two-run single to put the Cats up 10-0.
After a walk to John Iverson, McMillian belted a three-run homer to left field to give Meridian a 13-0 lead.
McMillian went 3-for-3 with five RBIs and Dubose went 2-for-3 with four RBIs to lead Meridian. Alexander, Stevens, and Barnett had two hits apiece. Meridian totaled 13 hits.
Meridian committed no errors after miscues haunted the Wildcats in a 10-9 loss Friday night.
Long Beach's only hit was a single by Owen Grissom. Burke fell to 5-2 with the loss as the Bearcats finished with a 19-10 mark.
Meridian will host the Forest Hill Rebels Thursday night at John Moss Field. Forest Hill took its series with Biloxi with a 6-5 eight-inning win Saturday.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.