By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
March 15, 2002
Defense and pitching helped Meridian scratch out a 2-1 win over visiting Amory here in its annual appearance at Meridian Community College's Scaggs Field.
Senior pitcher Torry Bates scattered four hits and struck out seven in delivering the complete game win. He improves to 5-1 on the season.
As a team, the Wildcats move to 12-5 on the year. They have won six of their last seven games since dropping a 4-3 decision to Quitman.
While his team left seven men on base including the bases-loaded in the third, Meridian coach Vince McLemore was glad to see his team win a close game for a change.
Meridian grabbed a 1-0 in the lead in its first at bat when Richmond Alexander singled and then went to third on a bad throw to first. John Stevens drove in the run on a fly out to right.
In the Wildcat second, Andy Slayton reached on a fielders choice and then went to second on another bad throw by the Amory infield. A wild pitch moved him up to third base. He then scored on Amory's third error of the game.
Bates had little trouble out of the Amory line-up retiring the first nine in order. The Wildcats had a chance to take further command in the bottom half of the third loading the bases with no out.
Amory pitcher Andy Rice, however, got Bates to foul out and then got Ricky McMillian to pop out to second. He then fanned Slayton to end the inning.
Amory finally got to Bates in the fourth when Buzz Abney delivered its first hit with one out. A batter later, Zack Cresap singled to left to plate Abney to make it 2-1.
Bates returned to form in the fifth retiring the side in order. He gave up a one-out hit to Adam Yoe in the sixth but left him on first after getting the next two Amory batters to pop out.
Pinch-hitter Zack Leech got a one-out hit in the seventh and his pinch-runner Jeffrey Chism reached second after a passed ball but that was as far as Amory could get. Bates fanned Drew Riddle for the second out and ended it with a ground ball to Richmond Alexander at short.
Meridian finished with six hits led by Cole who went 2-for-3. Alexander, Stevens, John Iverson and McMillian all had singles. Amory falls to 4-8 with the loss.
The Wildcats return to action on Saturday when they travel to Natchez and then Raymond.