| EMCC Lions beat visiting Coahoma, 15-1 and 11-5, in must-win DH sweep of home baseball finale |
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SCOOBA – Scoring 26 runs on 25 hits on the day, including five home runs, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College closed out their regular-season home baseball slate by sweeping visiting Coahoma Community College, 15-1 and 11-5, in MACJC North Division action late Wednesday afternoon at EMCC’s Gerald Poole Field.
The EMCC Lions, now 9-12 in division play, are bidding to claim the fourth and final division spot in advance of next week’s (May 3-4) best-of-three MACJC State Playoffs. EMCC closes out the regular season with a must-win Saturday doubleheader at Mississippi Delta Community College that could very well determine the final playoff spot in the MACJC’s North Division. After getting swept at Northwest Mississippi on Wednesday, the MDCC Trojans bring an 11-11 division record into Saturday’s crucial twin-bill. First pitch between EMCC and Delta is set for 1 p.m. in Moorhead. The Holmes Bulldogs, sitting at 10-12 within the division, play host to Northwest Mississippi Saturday in Goodman. In Wednesday’s opener against Coahoma, the Lions launched four home runs, two by sophomore outfielder Leroy Wilson, to claim the 15-1 run-rule decision after four innings. Wilson, a former Columbus High School product, gave winning pitcher Corbin Johnson all the run support he would need with a solo home run in the first and a three-run blast in the second. With all five of his hits coming of the extra-base variety, Wilson went 5-for-7 on the afternoon with 15 total bases, five runs batted in and five runs scored, including his team-leading sixth and seventh home runs of the season. Following a six-run third inning, EMCC scored five more times in the fourth on a two-run homer by Jason Yarbor and a three-run clout by former Heritage Academy standout Austin Braddock for his first collegiate round-tripper. With 15 runs on 13 hits in the opener, the Lions had four players with multiple-hit outings. Braddock and Columbus High School alumnus Josh Tentoni each went 3-for-3, while Spencer Wilson added a pair of singles. On the mound, EMCC’s Johnson went the distance to even his record at 2-2 on the year. The freshman right-hander allowed just three hits and an unearned run while striking out a pair and walking just one in his five-inning, complete-game victory. The Lions also got off to a fast start in the nightcap by reaching Coahoma starting pitcher Brandon Gregory for four straight hits and two runs in the bottom of the first. However, the visiting Tigers responded with an unearned run in the second and a two-out grand slam by Joe Johnson off EMCC starter Dillon Hawkins the next frame to take a 5-2 lead after three innings. The home team didn’t panic and answered with four tallies in the fourth on four hits to reclaim the advantage at 6-5. A solo home run by Tentoni in the fifth – his third of the year – and four more scores in the sixth accounted for the 11-5 final in game two. With a dozen more hits, eight Lion batters hit safely in the nightcap. Leroy Wilson’s 3-for-3 effort, on a pair of doubles and a triple, led the way. Braddock and Tyler Bonaventure each had two hits in game two and knocked in five runs between them. On the hill, Hawkins regrouped after Coahoma’s four-run third by facing the minimum nine total batters in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings combined before giving way to Blake Roberts in the seventh. Hawkins, of New Hope High School, picked up his first collegiate victory in three decisions by giving up the five runs on six hits. He also had three strikeouts and two walks during his six innings of work. Bidding for their second straight postseason appearance under head coach Chris Rose’s guidance, the EMCC Lions are now 18-23 overall on the season heading into Saturday’s doubleheader at Mississippi Delta. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 April 2012 ) |
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