| EMCC earns home baseball split against Southwest with pitching gem |
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 After earning home doubleheader splits against Mississippi Gulf Coast and Southwest Mississippi this past week, EMCC’s baseball team is scheduled to play seven consecutive doubleheaders away from home over an upcoming two-week stretch. After managing but two hits in dropping a 4-2 decision in the opener to Southwest, the Lions received a two-run home run from preseason NJCAA All-American Third Team selection Nathan Peden of Northeast Lauderdale in the opening frame of game two and a three-run blast – his second of the year – by fellow Northeast standout Zane Cradic in the third. Cradic (3-for-4) and Peden (2-for-3) combined for five of EMCC’s nine hits in the nightcap. Addison Swink of Southeast Lauderdale also went 2-for-3, including a fifth-inning double. A 5-foot-6 southpaw from Heidelberg Academy, Beach surrendered only a first-inning RBI single to Rob Thames and a single in the third to Ryan Grillier for SMCC’s lone two hits. Pitching into the final inning before walking Laramie Pittman to open the seventh, Beach had retired 11 consecutive Southwest batters over a four-inning span up to that point, including striking out the side in the fourth and fifth innings. Sophomore closer Drake Gregory of New Hope secured Beach’s first win of the season by recording the game’s final three outs. In Thursday’s opener against SMCC, the Lions could only muster a pair of run-producing doubles in the contest – one by Swink in the second inning and the other by Billy Beard of Columbus’ New Hope High School in the fifth. EMCC did leave seven runners on base over the middle five innings, including the bases loaded in the fourth frame. Preston’s Corey Luke was credited with the loss in the first contest in relief of starter Drew Esslinger of McNeill. After Esslinger worked the opening two innings, Luke was reached for single tallies in the third, fourth and sixth innings. The Bears had four players with multiple-hit outings, including three extra-base hits. After managing their second straight doubleheader split at home, coach Tony Montgomery’s 3-10 Lions now prepare to play seven consecutive twin bills away from home during an upcoming two-week stretch (March 5-18). Playing doubleheaders on three successive days, East Mississippi will first meet Hinds and LSU-Eunice Thursday in Vicksburg on Thursday (March 5). EMCC then heads to Wesson to take on Copiah-Lincoln and Baton Rouge CC on Friday, before traveling to Perkinston to face Pensacola JC and Mississippi Gulf Coast on Saturday. |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 28 February 2009 ) |
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