By Dennis Watson/Special to The Star
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN — The Lake Tournament held annually over spring break is underway, and Southeast Lauderdale and Neshoba Central didn't want Tuesday’s late game at Northeast Lauderdale to end.
The two teams battled back and forth, in a marathon of a game, that lasted 10 innings. The pitchers often struggled with consistency as the two teams combined to plunk 13 batters total from both teams. Southeast jumped out to an early lead, only to see the Rockets claw back, send the game into extra innings, and capture the victory 7-6.
The home team struck in their half of the first when the Tigers loaded the bases, and T.J. Pope came through with a screaming double down the left-field line to plate two. Colby Ramey followed with a sacrifice fly and Brooks Linton singled in Pope to give the Tigers the early lead.
Neshoba got one back in the second when a run was awarded to them by means of a balk. Then in the top of the fourth, the visitors struck again when CJ Grantham doubled in a run to make the score 4-2.
Southeast manufactured another run by means of walks and a hit batsmen to give them a three-run advantage.
The top of the sixth inning saw the Rockets rally, led by Robert Greer’s run-scoring single then followed by a series of free passes and a hit batter to give Neshoba the one run advantage, 6-5.
Southeast did not quit as they answered in the bottom half of the sixth when Shelby Moseley had an infield hit that knotted the game at 6.
The teams were at a stalemate throughout the 7th,8th, and 9th frames, until the 10th when Dustin Floyd delivered a huge double to dead center to plate the go-ahead run for the Rockets. Greer, who came into the game pitching in the 8th, closed the door for the Rockets.
Greer picked up the win going 3 innings and striking out 5. Despite a great effort from Blake McMullan, he gets tabbed for the loss giving up only the one game-winning run over the course of 4 1/3 innings.
