SCOOBA – Out-scored 22-3 in a pair of complete-game pitching victories thrown against them, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College were swept 12-1 and 10-2 by visiting Holmes Community College in MACJC North Division baseball action Friday afternoon at EMCC’s Gerald Poole Field.

Limited to a combined total of 13 hits on the afternoon by left-hander Steven Blanchard in the opener and right-hander Chris Hutchinson in the nightcap, the EMCC Lions were also hurt by nine fielding errors during the two division contests.

Control problems by EMCC starting pitcher Blake Hutcheson contributed to the Lions’ early deficit in game one.  The sophomore left-hander from Saltillo issued six bases on balls in 2.2 innings of work before handing the ball to Tyler Jones in the third inning.  

With three hits each in the second, third and fourth innings, the visitors jumped out to a commanding 9-0 lead after four innings.  Meanwhile, Blanchard was in total control on the hill for the Bulldogs, scattering four singles and giving up one unearned run in the fifth en route to the complete-game win.  The Lafayette, La., native struck out three and walked three in going the distance.

EMCC’s lone run in the opener came on Holden Watts’ sacrifice fly to center that scored Leroy Wilson, who reached on an infield error to open the fifth inning.

The Lions bounced back to control the early portion of game two  after spotting Holmes a one-run lead in the first inning.  EMCC tied up the game in the second on Josh Tentoni’s two-out double to the right-center field gap that scored Zane Migues after his lead-off single.  The Lions grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third when Austin Braddock singled home Tyler Bonaventure, who reached base on his fourth hit of the afternoon and then stole second to get into scoring position.

After retiring the side in order during each of the previous two innings, EMCC starting pitcher Blake Roberts ran into fourth-inning trouble that was further complicated by three fielding errors from the middle of the Lions’ infield.  The Bulldogs would take advantage of the miscues and stake Hutchinson to a 6-2 lead after the frame that saw four of the five runs scored come via the unearned route.

With the lead, Hutchinson found his groove on the way to the complete-game victory.  The sophomore from Denham Springs, La., evenly distributed nine EMCC hits over the seven innings while striking out 11 batters and walking just one.

In the nightcap, eight of the nine batters in EMCC’s starting lineup had hits, led by Bonaventure’s second 2-for-4 effort at the plate on the day.  Lion hurlers Hutcheson and Roberts fell to 1-4 and 0-4, respectively, on the year with their setbacks.

For the visitors, the Bulldogs efficiently banged out 23 hits in scoring their 22 runs on the afternoon, including seven doubles and a triple. 

Coach Chris Rose’s EMCC Lions, 12-19 overall and 3-10 in MACJC North Division games, have three straight road doubleheaders on tap during the coming week, beginning with Wednesday’s 3 p.m. twin-bill against Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia.