By Staff
IN THE DIRTMCC's Adam Smith (32) slides in home to score barely missing Delgado's Ryan Core. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Austin Bishop / EMG regional sports director
March 24, 2002
Following a 7-4 loss to Delgado (La.) Community College in the opener of Saturday's Miss-Lou Conference doubleheader, the Eagles of Meridian Community College were seven innings away from being in a very serious hole.
Thanks to a key bases-loaded double by sophomore Adam Smith, MCC exploded for six runs in the third inning and then held on for a 7-3 win in the nightcap, setting up the third and deciding game of the series today at 1 p.m. at Scaggs Field.
Delgado came into the weekend series with a chance to clinch a spot in the Region 23 Tournament after just six league games. The Dolphins swept Bossier Parish (La.) three straight last week, and a similar performance would have guaranteed Delgado of at least a 6-6 league record and a spot in the tournament.
MCC hosts Bossier in a three-game series on Friday and Saturday before play the two schools in six road games to end Miss-Lou conference play in Mid-April.
The big blow by Smith came after Brent Towne led off with a single, and Wes Shows and Brad McKee received walks after a sacrifice bunt by Chad Bradley.
Federico said Smith's key at bat was a classic case of a sophomore coming through in the clutch.
While Smith's two-bagger broke up a scoreless game and plated two runs, it was what happened afterward that was the key.
Brian Page followed with an RBI single, then after a pair o walks, designated hitter Walt Bounds delivered a two-run single. Brent Towne, who had begun the inning with a single, then followed Bounds with an RBI single of his own.
Delgado picked up single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut it to 6-2, before the Eagles did a good job of manufacturing a run in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the lead back out to five.
Mike Goodson came on for Jones (3-2) in the sixth inning and held Delgado in check the rest of the way.
The split lifted MCC's record to 9-17 overall and 1-1 in league play, while DCC is now 26-4 and 4-1.
Todd Doolittle (2-2) pitched well for Meridian in the opener, but three solo homers by Delgado and several outfield miscues by the Eagles led to MCC falling behind 7-0.
Sean Delaneuville crushed a solo homer onto the hill behind the left field fence in the top of the second to put the Dolphins up 1-0 in the opener.
A two-base error by the center fielder and a miscue by the shortstop led to an unearned run by DCC in the fourth to make it 2-0.
But the sixth inning was the killer. Ryan Core and Mike Prestenback opened the inning with back-to-back homers. Two outs later, Delgado began another rally that scored three runs thanks to a walk, an error and two singles.
That would come back to haunt the Eagles, as MCC scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, including a three-run homer by Smith.