| Comeback road win in baseball nightcap earns EMCC a doubleheader split at No. 2 Jones County |
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ELLISVILLE – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College used a three-run sixth inning to claim a 5-3 comeback road win in Tuesday’s baseball nightcap en route to earning a doubleheader split with second-ranked Jones County Junior College. The home-standing Bobcats won the opener 9-2 over EMCC at Community Bank Park.
In their first road action of the new season, the visiting Lions grabbed an early 1-0 lead on the reigning NJCAA Division II World Series runners-up in the second inning of the nightcap without the aid of a hit. Leadoff hitter Zane Migues struck out, but he reached base on a dropped third strike. Courtesy runner Leroy Wilson moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Spencer Wilson and later stole third base before eventually scoring on a passed ball. The Bobcats countered with three runs in the fourth inning off EMCC starting pitcher Trent Waddell. Following a leadoff walk to Vito Perna, Zac Fowler stroked a double to center field. Both runners came around to score on Tilur Smith’s triple down the right-field line. Smith later scored on Max Wade’s groundout to give JCJC a 3-1 lead. With EMCC reliever Tyler Jones coming on to neutralize the Bobcat bats, the Lions reached JCJC middle relievers Cameron Rose and Dylan Delaune for five straight hits to open the sixth inning. After Migues and Spencer Wilson opened the frame with singles, sophomore Tyler Bonaventure scorched a two-run triple to left field. Jason Yarbor added a run-producing single to give the Lions a 4-3 advantage. While the visitors added a two-out insurance run in the seventh to go up 5-3, EMCC’s Jones continued to shut down JCJC’s offense. The freshman right-hander from Columbus’ Victory Christian Academy held the Bobcats to just two hits and no runs over the final 3.2 innings to pick up his first collegiate victory. At the plate in the nightcap, EMCC’s 11-hit attack featured two-hit efforts by Migues, Yarbor, Spencer Wilson, Austin Braddock and Aaron Brady. In Tuesday’s opening contest, the Lions struck first with two runs in the third frame on Waddell’s two-out, two-run single to left field, scoring Brady and Braddock. The Bobcats got those two runs right back in the bottom half of the third on run-scoring singles by Perna and Smith. Jones County, now 6-2 on the year, would go on to put up runs in each of the next three frames as well, chasing EMCC starting pitcher Blake Hutcheson en route to the 9-2 victory. A sophomore left-hander from Saltillo, Hutcheson dropped his first decision of the campaign after leading the Lions with five pitching victories a year ago. Playing in front of the home folks, Brady, a sophomore outfielder from South Jones High School, paced the Lions offensively in the opener with three singles. The Ellisville native enjoyed his homecoming by going 5-for-8 at the plate for EMCC during the twinbill. The Bobcats out-hit EMCC, 10-7, in the opening game, while the Lions were slowed by three errors defensively. The visitors did not commit a miscue in the field during their victorious nightcap. Head coach Chris Rose’s 2-4 EMCC Lions will be back on the road this weekend by taking on the Warriors of East Central Community College in a 1 p.m. doubleheader to be played in Decatur. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 22 February 2012 ) |
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