The East Central Community College Lady Warriors were finally back on the field to open the 2021 season versus the Marion Military Lady Tigers (3-1) on Tuesday afternoon. Despite a strong effort from the Lady Warriors, MMI swept the two games.
Game One | L, 10-7
The Lady Tigers of Marion Military leaped out in front in the top of the first, 2-0, with some solid at bats early. The Lady Warriors clapped back in the bottom of the first frame as Zharia Richardson (Gulfport) ripped a single over the shortstop’s head. The RBI-double put the first run on the board for ECCC in 2021.
The bats were rolling for the Lady Tigers again in the top of the third as they poured in another pair of runs to grow the lead to 4-1.
The Lady Warriors had some chippy at bats in the bottom of the third and scratched across a run to cut the lead to just two, 4-2, but the Lady Tigers added six more with back-to-back homers and several hits in the top half of the fourth to grow the lead to 10-2.
The Lady Warriors mounted a good comeback effort in the bottom of the fifth after a pair of walks and a single from Anna Caime (Zachary, La.) loaded the bases. Katelynn Gipson (Decatur) blasted a shot to left field to clear the bases with a grand slam. The big swing cut the Lady Tigers’ lead to just four, 10-6.
Richardson and Gipson led the way at the dish with two and four RBIs, respectively. MMI was led by Hope Owen with three RBIs on two hits.
Game Two | L, 5-4
Molly Moore (Meridian) led things off for the Lady Warriors in the bottom half of the first with a single and was brought home with a Gipson triple. Hodge followed and drove Gipson in with an RBI-single to give ECCC the lead, 2-1.
A base-clearing double from MMI put them back on top, 3-2, in the top of the third. The score also started a scoring drought for the Lady Warriors as the Lady Tigers added one in the third and another in the fifth to grow the lead to 5-2.
Kaytie Hillman (Lake) led things off for ECCC in the bottom of the sixth and hammered a line drive over the left-field fence to cut the lead to just two, 5-3. ECCC took that momentum to the field and held the Lady Tigers in the top of seventh.
Richardson and Hodge led the way at the plate for ECCC with a pair of hits each, while Hillman and Gipson joined them with an RBI on one hit each.
