By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
April 11, 2002
DECATUR Considering it was their first trip to East Central Community College in nearly 20 years, the Meridian Community College Eagles made themselves at home Wednesday taking a 10-3 win over the Warriors.
The Eagles had 13 hits, three of which were solo homers, as they improved to 15-20 prior to this weekend's critical three-game series with Delgado Community College in New Orleans. Delgado took two-of-three games at Bossier Parish last weekend to clinch a berth in the Region 23 Division I Tournament and the Eagles are hoping to be more than the ground crew when the six-team event rolls around, May 9-12, at Scaggs Field.
Chord Robinson (4-0), the first of five MCC pitchers tossed the first two frames and got the win as the Eagles claimed their third straight victory.
The Eagles got three solo homers in the first three innings to take a 3-1 lead.
Brian Page had a solo homer for MCC in the second inning after ECCC had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jake Nester reached on an outfield error and scored on a single by Lewis Bradford.
The Eagles got solo homers from Brad McKee and Adam Smith in the top of the third.
Nathan Sanders doubled in the fourth and scored on a wild pitch for a 4-1 lead.
ECCC got to within 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth as Bradford, Justin Darby, and Chad Loper reached on infield hits to start the inning with Loper's hit scoring Bradford. Josh Chaney's sacrifice fly plated Darby.
MCC got RBI-singles from Tyler Scarbrough and Drew Van Sickle in the fifth to go up 6-3.
The Eagles added two more runs in the seventh. Scarbrough had an RBI-single and came home on a wild pitch.
McKee doubled in the eighth to drive in Jake Bell, who had walked. McKee came home following a double play as the Warriors apparently thought the third out had been recorded and began running off the field. The double play was only the first two outs of the inning.
Smith went 4-for-5 with a homer to lead MCC. McKee was 3-for-5 with a double, a homer, and two RBIs. Van Sickle had a pair of singles.
Bradford went 3-for-5 for the Warriors with Loper going 2-for-4.
ECCC fell to 9-19 with the loss. The Warriors are in last place in the seven-team MACJC South Division. Aaron Gisler, the first of five Warrior pitchers, took the loss.
MCC's victory evened the season's series at one win apiece.
Notes: ECCC will make up Tuesday's South Division doubleheader rainout with Pearl River today at 1 p.m. in Decatur.
The Eagles will make up Monday's rainout with Shelton State as part of a doubleheader at MCC on April 17. MCC's single game at Shelton on April 24 has also been changed to a doubleheader. The Buccaneers are ranked No. 10 in this week's NJCAA Division II poll.