By By Robby Atkinson/staff writer
March 13, 2004
The Meridian Community College baseball team overcame four errors and a four-run deficit to take a 13-5 win over Forest Park Community College at Scaggs Field on Friday afternoon.
The Eagles (13-3) pounded out 14 hits in seven innings, and Josh Morgan highlighted the offense for MCC with four RBIs on three hits. Morgan hit a two-run home run in the win.
MCC trailed Forest Park 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning, which gave MCC head coach Mike Federico some worries about the four errors his team committed in the first two innings.
MCC made three errors in the first inning that allowed three runs to score, as the Highlanders took a 3-0 lead. Bryan Brown had an RBI single in the inning, and Jim Haley hit a two-run double. Forest Park added one more run in the second inning off another MCC error in the infield to take a four-run lead.
The Highlanders pushed one run across the plate in the sixth inning on an error by MCC.
The Eagles didn't stay down long, as MCC scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Sam Self led off the second with a single, and Kyle Ginn followed Self with his fifth home run of the season to cut Forest Park's lead to 4-2.
Ricky Newman and Micheal Murray both singled, and Toddrick Johnson delivered a two-run triple to right-center field to tie the game at four. Johnson scored on a passed ball, and Morgan added an RBI double for a 6-4 lead.
MCC relief pitcher Jason Phillips (4-1) took to the mound in the third inning and pitched three scoreless innings and held Forest Park to no hits.
The Eagles scored a pair of runs in the third inning to extend the lead to 8-4.
Ginn, who led off the inning getting hit by a pitch, scored from third base on a wild pitch, and third baseman Van Pope drove in the second run with double.
Morgan slugged a two-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Eagles a 10-4 lead. The homer was Morgan's sixth of the season.
MCC tallied two runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth to take the win over Forest Park.
The Eagles scored one of the two runs in the fifth on a throwing error by the Highlanders, and the second run scored on a single from Morgan.
Murray ended the game in the sixth with an RBI single to invoke the 10-run rule.
The Eagles return to action on Sunday against Shelton State in a road doubleheader.