By By Austin Bishop/EMG regional sports director
March 9, 2002
SCOOBA One-run games have not been kind to Meridian Community College this season.
So the Eagles found a way to avoid that situation on Friday afternoon. Leading by just one run after seven innings of play, the Eagles scored three runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth to take a 14-7 win over homestanding East Mississippi Community College.
While the win moves the Eagles to 6-12 on the season and gives them a little momentum going into three tough games in Florida this weekend, while Federico liked best about the win was the way the Eagles got it.
After Meridian had scored four runs in the seventh to build an 8-4 lead, EMCC scored twice in the fifth and one in the seventh to cut it to 8-7.
The first two MCC batters in the eighth were retired, before the Eagles exploded for four straight two-out hits to stretch the lead to 11-7.
Brian Page got the eighth-inning rally started with a single. After a stolen base, Adam Smith doubled to left and later scored on Lance Dawkins' double into the right field corner. Dawkins then scored on a single by Nathan Sanders his fourth hit of the day to make it 11-7.
The Eagles put the game away in the top of the ninth when Jake Bell singled and then scored on a homer to left by Trave Hopkins. The last run came on an RBI double by Smith.
Chris Moffett (1-2) did a good job in relief for the Eagles, taking over in the fifth inning for starter Chord Robinson.
Goodson, the MCC closer, gave up an infield single in the ninth inning, but stayed ahead of the hitters and controlled the inning.
MCC pounded out 15 hits on the day, with Sanders ripping three singles and a double and Smith banging out two doubles.
After the Eagles scored in the top of the first, thanks to a two-out rally, EMCC scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. MCC used another two-out rally in the second to cut it to 3-2, before taking a 4-3 lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Brad McKee and an RBI single by Jake Bell.
The Lions, now 5-9 on the year, manufactured a run with a walk, wild pitch and two ground outs to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
MCC then scored four times in the top of the fifth, with two being unearned. Sanders had a big two-run single in the inning.
Wade Whitaker led EMCC at the plate with three infield singles. The Lions had nine hits on the day.
EMCC returns to action today when the Lions travel to Raymond to Play Hinds Community College at 1 p.m. and Kishwaukee (Ill.) at 4 p.m. in nine-inning games.
MCC travels to Florida to play Okaloosa-Walton Community College on Saturday and Sunday and Pensacola Junior College on Monday.
Meridian's next home game is Friday at 1 p.m. against Kishwaukee.