By By Ryan Satcher/staff writer
Feb. 17, 2002
Meridian Community College scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to come from behind and beat Volunteer State, Tenn., 7-6 in the Rush Invitational Tournament at Scaggs Field on Saturday night.
In the early game, Tyler, Tex., Community College slipped by the Clarendon Bulldogs 6-5. Today, Clarendon will face Volunteer State at noon and MCC will play Tyler at 3 p.m. to finish out the tournament.
MCC centerfielder Brad McKee hit a two-out home run in the eighth to help the Eagles beat the Pioneers and improve to 3-4 on the season.
The Eagles scored four runs in the second inning to jump out to the early lead. Brian Page and Adam Smith both singled to start the inning. Then Walt Bounds knocked in Page with a single. A single by Jake Bell loaded the bases for Lance Dawkins who doubled in Smith and Bounds to make the score 3-0.
The Pioneers finally got the first out of the inning when the Eagles missed a sign on a squeeze bunt and Bell was tagged out. Chad Bradley finished off the hit parade as he singled to score Dawkins from second base to make the score 4-0 after two innings of play.
Volunteer State got on the board in the third inning when Ryan Berryman scored on a single by Andy Howdeshell, but MCC starting pitcher Justin Rayborn struck out a man and got a groundout to strand runners on second and third.
The Eagles scored in the fourth inning when Dawkins singled in Bounds to make the score 5-1.
The Pioneers got the bats going in the sixth inning scoring four runs. With one out, Ryan Darnell doubled and Tim Freeman singled. Berryman knocked Darnell in with a single to cut the lead to 5-2. Shane Vaughn was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Volunteer State.
Rayborn struck out the next batter and was nearly out of the inning when Howdeshell hit a ball to deep right that got over the rightfielder to score two runners. The throw in from right got away and allowed Vaughn to score from first tying the game 5-5.
In the seventh inning, Brad Meeks walked to start the inning and stole a base to get into scoring position. The next batter grounded out to second to move Meeks to third. Pitcher Chris Moffett got he second out of the inning when the next batter hit a chopper back to the mound. Once again it looked like MCC would get out of a jam, but with two outs a passed ball scored Meeks to give the Pioneers the lead.
The Eagles were not out of the game yet, however, as Bell reached first on an error and then stole second. Dawkins moved him to third when he grounded out. Pinch hitter Trave Hopkins plated Bell with a groundout to second. Then McKee hit the two-out homer to give the Eagles the lead.
Michael Goodson closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning to record his first save of the season. Moffett got the win to improve to 1-0 on the year.
The loss drops Volunteer State to 1-4 on the season.
Tyler CC 6
Clarendon 5
Tyler used a walk-off homer by Rick Dyer to defeat Clarendon 6-5 in the noon game of the Rush Invitation Tournament on Saturday.
Clarendon scored a run in the top of the eighth when Adam Klestinec knocked in a run with a fielder's choice. Tyler got a big strikeout to get out of the inning and then got the game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth.
Tyler improves to 6-7 on the year while Clarendon drops to 1-8.