Runs were at a minimum as the East Central Community College Warriors opened 2019 MACJC league play with a doubleheader split against the Holmes Bulldogs in games played Saturday, March 16, at Charlie Donald Field in Goodman.
The Warriors left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth in a 5-4 loss in the nine-inning first game. Five East Central pitchers limited the Bulldogs to a single run in a 3-1 win in the nightcap to gain the doubleheader split.
East Central is now 8-8 on the season and 1-1 in MACJC play. Holmes is 16-2 and 1-1.
A four-run bottom of the second inning by Holmes was the difference in game one as the Bulldogs went ahead 5-0 early. East Central battled back with one run top of the third and fifth innings and two in the top of the fourth.
Trailing 5-4 with two outs in the top of the ninth, the Warriors got back-to-back singles and a hit batter to load the bases before Holmes recorded the final out to take the one-run win.
East Central outhit Holmes 10-8 in the loss, but left 10 runners on base. Sophomore left fielder Ryan Cupit (West Monroe, La.), sophomore shortstop Jay Johnston (Lake), and sophomore designated hitter Alex Hay (Lewisburg) all drove in runs for the Warriors.
Sophomore right fielder Ken Scott (Clarkdale), freshman catcher Eli Harrison (Newton County), and freshman center fielder Dakota Kennedy (Choctaw Central) all had two hits in game one.
Freshman designated hitter Cameron Cotten (George County) drove in a run with a single in the top of second, sophomore second baseman Anderson Shelley (Greenville, Washington School) stole home in the top of third on a pickoff at first base, and Cupit singled in a run in the top of the seventh for East Central’s runs in game two. Cotten had a pair of singles in the win.
Five Warrior pitchers held Holmes to seven hits and the one run. Sophomore left-hander Javian Stone (Jackson, Provine, Highland Community College) got the start and the win, giving up two hits and no runs in three and a third innings.
The Warriors will play their home opener on Tuesday, March 19, when Gulf Coast visits the Clark-Gay Baseball Complex in Decatur. The doubleheader begins at 3 p.m.
East Central will host Mississippi Delta for a pair of games beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23.
East Central Baseball Gets First Sweep of Season at Coastal Alabama-South
Rain continues to play havoc on the home baseball schedule for East Central Community College, but the Warriors found Stanley James Baseball Park on the campus of Coastal Alabama-South to their liking in picking up their first sweep of the season Tuesday, March 12, in Bay Minette, Ala.
East Central beat the Coastal Alabama-South Sun Chiefs 8-6 in the nine-inning opener and then followed that with an 11-9 seven-inning win in game two.
The games were originally scheduled to be played at Clark-Gay Baseball Complex in Decatur, but were moved due to wet field conditions.
With the sweep, East Central is now 7-7 on the season. The NJCAA Division I Coastal Alabama-South Sun Chiefs are 10-9.
East Central pushed out to a 7-0 lead in game one, before holding off a late run by the Sun Chiefs.
The big inning for the Warriors was the top of the fourth when four runs crossed the plate. Sophomore catcher Alex Hay (Lewisburg) doubled in two runs and sophomore third baseman George Farid (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) and sophomore second baseman Anderson Shelley (Greenville, Washington School) both had RBI singles.
Freshman first baseman Cameron Cotten (George County) doubled in two runs in the third, while sophomore right fielder Ken Scott (Clarkdale) drove in East Central’s first run in the first inning.
Sophomore right-hander Thomas Boothe (Fairhope, Ala., Bayside Academy) picked up the win with five innings of work. He gave up three hits and two runs, while striking out seven batters. Four Warrior pitchers struck out 12 Sun Chiefs in the game.
In game two, the two teams combined for 20 hits and 20 runs. The Warriors broke a 4-4 tie with five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 9-4 lead and then held on for the 11-9 win.
East Central had three multiple run innings. In a three-run top of the second, sophomore shortstop Jay Johnston (Lake) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and sophomore left fielder Ryan Cupit (West Monroe, La.) drove in two runs with a line drive single to center field.
In a five-run top of the fourth, Scott and Hay drew back-to-back bases loaded walks to score two runs, freshman center fielder Dakota Kennedy (Choctaw Central) drove in a run with a single, one run came across on a balk, and another scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Cotten.
East Central’s other runs in the game came on a first inning RBI single by Scott, and a Kennedy sacrifice fly and a passed ball in the sixth.
Freshman right-hander Tanner Knight of Eupora picked up the win by pitching the first five innings.
For the two games, Scott had five hits to lead East Central, while Cupit and Anderson had four each. Shelley scored five runs on the day, and the Warriors stole six bases. East Central pitchers struck out 19 batters.
