By Staff
TOO LATE MCC's Lance Dawkins (16) is out at second as he tries to break up a doubleplay against Shelton State's Chase Brown, right, to no avail. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Austin Bishop / EMG Regional Sports Director
April 18, 2002
Meridian Community College spilt a pair of Wednesday afternoon baseball games with nationally ranked NJCAA Division II program Shelton State (Ala.) Community College, as the Eagles warmed up for a key Miss-Lou Conference series at Bossier Parish (La.) Community College this weekend.
MCC, now 17-23 on the year, used an effective outing by sophomore pitcher Chord Robinson to win the opener 6-3, before falling behind early in the nightcap on the way to a 9-5 loss.
Meridian faces Bossier in a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. Whichever team wins the three-game set will finish second in the Miss-Lou and earn the final spot into the Region 23 Tournament set for MCC's Scaggs Field in early May.
The Eagles used a pair of solo homers on the way to building a 3-0 lead, before the visiting Buccaneers scored twice in the top of the sixth off reliever Damien Givens without the benefit of a hit.
But Meridian responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the momentum.
With two outs and nobody on base, Walt Bounds ripped a solo homer the third of the game for the Eagles to put MCC up 4-2. Then three batters later, Wes Shows ripped a two-run double off the wall to make it 6-2.
The Buccaneers wouldn't go away, loading the bases with one out in the top of the seventh, bringing the tying run to the plate.
Robinson (4-0) allowed just two hits over five innings, while striking out four and walking four.
Brad McKee hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the first for MCC, while Nathan Sanders smashed a four-bagger in the fourth.
While the nightcap was a disappointment for the Eagles as a team, sophomore catcher Chad Bradley certainly had a big game.
He ripped two homers, including a grand slam, to give him four homers on the season. All four of his homers have come in the last five days.
Chris Moffett (2-2) took the loss on the mound.