By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
May 8, 2004
The East Mississippi Community College Lions didn't leave the Region XXIII Baseball Tournament like lambs on Friday.
After giving up two runs in the first inning, EMCC held Gulf Coast Community College scoreless for four innings, but the Lions couldn't overtake the lead and fell 4-2 at Scaggs Field.
EMCC stranded nine runners over the last eight innings, leaving runners on third base three times in the game.
The loss eliminated EMCC from the Region XXIII tournament. The Lions (15-29) lost in the opening round of the tournament 15-7 to Mississippi Delta Community College.
Gulf Coast will take on Meridian Community College at 4 p.m. today in the winners' bracket.
After holding a 2-1 lead for the first five innings, Gulf Coast pushed its lead to 3-1 on a broken-bat single.
Bulldogs first baseman Jonathan Moran broke his bat in half, blooping a single into right field. The barrel of the bat flew over the third-base fence and landed harmlessly into the seating area.
Gulf Coast second baseman Brian Seymour, who led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, scored from third for a two-run lead.
The Lions cut the Bulldogs' lead to 3-2 in the top of the eighth inning, scoring on an RBI single by Rod Williams. EMCC put runners on second and third with two outs but couldn't push another run across the plate.
Gulf Coast retook a two-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning with an RBI single from third baseman Jacob Davis.
Gulf Coast took advantage of an EMCC miscue to score the first run of the game in the opening inning.
With runners on second and third, the Lions pitcher attempted to pick off the Bulldogs runner on second base. EMCC failed to cover second on the pick-off attempt, allowing Gulf Coast center fielder Sal Aleman to score for a 1-0 lead.
Bulldogs first baseman Jonathan Moran drove in Brian Seymour, who moved to third on the missed pick off, with a double of the right-field wall to take a 2-0 advantage.
EMCC starting pitcher Will Matlock settled in after the opening inning, striking out four and giving up four hits over the next six innings innings.
Matlock (4-5) took the loss giving up four runs on five hits over seven innings. Gulf Coast's Miles Clark (5-1) picked up the win, allowing one run on seven hits in seven innings with nine strikeouts.
The Lions picked up one run in the third inning on an RBI single from third baseman Blake Pippin, who went 3-for-5, to cut their deficit to 2-1.
EMCC catcher Justin Faulkner went 2-for-5, and left fielder Brandon Mabry went 2-for-4
Delgado 8
Northeast 4
Delgado (31-17) scored three runs in the bottom of the first and held off a late rally by the Northeast Community College to eliminate the Tigers from the Region XXIII tournament on Friday.
The Dolphins, who fell 4-3 to Meridian Community College in the opening round Thursday night, will play their second elimination game at 1 p.m. today.
Northeast, which lost in the opening round 10-2 to Gulf Coast, ended its season with a 20-21 record.
Delgado pushed its lead to 8-1 after six innings, but Northeast rallied for three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to produce the final margin of victory.
Dolphins pitcher Brad Cook (4-1) recorded the win, scattering 12 hits and giving up four runs in 7.2 innings with eight strikeouts. Jonathan White closed the game for Delgado striking out two and allowing one hit in 1.1 innings of work.
Delgado second baseman Jason Schwab, first baseman Stephen Waguespack and shortstop Joey Graff each hit a double, and center fielder Gary Duhe went 2-for-4 in the win.
Northeast catcher Adam Sowell went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a home run, and shortstop Nick Armstrong went 3-for-5 with a double.