By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
April 10, 2004
Good Friday quickly became great for Meridian Community College slugger Josh Morgan.
The Eagles left fielder bashed two home runs, two singles and double to collect seven RBIs in MCC's two-game sweep over the Holmes Community College Bulldogs (21-7, 4-6 Central Division). The Eagles (30-5, 8-2 Central Division) won the first game 10-0 in five innings and the second game 7-1.
Morgan's offensive outburst in the doubleheader was put on hold in the opening game's first inning.
The Thomasville, Ala., native didn't get the bat off his shoulders in his first at bat of the first game in fact he only saw one pitch.
Morgan watched his first offering fly past Holmes catcher Vance Avalon to the backstop, with the bases loaded. MCC third baseman Van Pope tried to score on the wild pitch, but he was tagged at the plate by Bulldogs starting pitcher Caleb Cain to end the inning.
The Eagles left fielder didn't let the missed chance in the first bother him when he stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
Morgan cut loose for a double into left field to score three runs, which gave the Eagles a 9-0 lead.
The Eagles struggled to plate runs at the start of the day's first game.
MCC scored just one run in the first two innings, despite loading the bases with one out in each frame.
The Eagles also watched two runners get thrown out at home trying to score on wild pitches in each of the first two innings.
MCC's scoring struggles ended in the third, as a Holmes' error on hit by designated hitter Aaron George allowed two runs to score to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.
Eagles second baseman Kyle Ginn, who went 3-for-6 in the doubleheader, brought home a run with a double, and shortstop Michael Murray hit a two-run single to take a 6-0 lead.
MCC chalked up three more runs off Morgan's double in the fourth, and courtesy runner Dillon Sudduth, who replaced catcher Ricky Newman on the base path, ended the game scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth.
The Eagles quickly took control of the second game, after giving up one run in the top of the first.
MCC first baseman Joey Lieberman tied the game at one with a sacrifice fly to center field, and Morgan launched a three-run home run over the center-field wall for a 4-1 lead.
Newman closed the scoring in the first inning for the Eagles with an RBI single to left, as MCC sent all nine of its batters to the box in the bottom half of the first.
Murray increased MCC's lead to 6-1 with an RBI single in the third, and Morgan closed the scoring with a one-run homer over the right-center field wall in the sixth.
Matthew Rozier (4-1) picked up the win in the first game for the Eagles, allowing no runs and two hits with three strikeouts in five innings of work. Chris Rayborn picked up the win in the second game, giving up one run on two hits with five strikeouts in four innings.
MCC continues its season on the road against Copiah-Lincoln in a single game at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.