SCOOBA — The EMCC Lions pulled out a 5-4 first-game victory with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning against Jones County, but squandered a late 4-1 lead in Saturday’s second contest to drop a 7-4 decision in the nightcap at Gerald Poole Field on the Scooba campus.

Former West Lauderdale standout Luke Walker went 4-for-4in the opener, including with a leadoff single in the seventh. He would later come around to score EMCC’s third run with a stolen base and subsequent wild pitch. Following a single by Northeast Lauderdale product Nathan Peden, Heidelberg’s Derek Beach knotted the score at 4-4 with an opposite-field single. David Williams and Billy Beard both reached safely on sacrifice bunt attempts that resulted in an infield error and fielder’s choice, respectively.

With the bases loaded, Cody Brownlee bounced into a double play that forced Beach at home. However, pinch hitter Addison Swink of Southeast Lauderdale came through in the clutch by scoring Williams on a game-winning, two-out single hit deep in the hole between short and third.

Though managing only three hits in the nightcap, the Lions manufactured solo scores in four successive innings to take a 4-1 advantage into the final frame. Jones County sent 11 batters to the plate in the seventh inning and pushed across six runs on five hits.

EMCC (7-29, 2-9 MACJC North Division) host to divisional foe Northwest Mississippi on Tuesday.



JUCO SOFTBALL

EMCC 2-3

Northwest 1-7



EMCCclaimed a come-from-behind 2-1 win in Saturday’s opener against divisional foe Northwest Mississippi.

Managing only singles by Brooke Lee and Josie Matthews – former West Lauderdale teammates – through the opening five innings, the Lady Lions rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning. After Portia Randle and Summer Frost reached safely on a hit and walk, respectively, Alex Shelton moved up both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Sara Havard, another West Lauderdale product, followed with a two-out, two-run bloop single just past first base to give the Lady Lions a 2-1 lead.

In the nightcap, Northwest reached EMCC starter Teddie Eden for three first-inning runs on four hits and an error. The Lady Rangers added four more scores in the third to move ahead 7-0 before the Lady Lions managed a solo run in the fourth and two morein the fifth.