The Meridian Community College baseball team concluded play in the 2017 Rush Invitational Tournament by hosting NJCAA Division I powerhouse Jefferson College out of Missouri on Sunday afternoon. 

The Eagles came away with a doubleheader split against the Vikings by falling in Game 1, 8-3, and bouncing back to take Game 2, 2-1. 

MCC bounced right back after a sluggish performance in Game 1 to take a thrilling 2-1 decision over the Vikings in the second game of the twin bill. Sophomore JD Gann got the scoring started for the Eagles in the bottom of the second inning on a solo homer to give MCC the early 1-0 lead. Freshman Zack Carter followed with a solo homer of his own moments later over the wall in right field to extend the MCC lead to 2-0. 

Jefferson College managed to scratch for its only run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI double by Ryan Fish. The big moment of Game 2 came in the top of the sixth inning, as MCC was able to work out of a bases-loaded jam to hang on to its 2-1 lead heading to the bottom of the frame. 

Freshman Briar Russell drew the start on the mound for the Eagles and worked five solid innings, handing the ball to Logan McDowell in the sixth inning out of the bullpen. McDowell was able to work out of the bases-loaded jam with a strikeout of Hunter Swift to keep the game at 2-1. McDowell worked a scoreless top of the seventh inning to earn his first save of his collegiate career for MCC. Russell also picked up his first collegiate win on the mound for the Eagles and finished with eight strikeouts.

MCC finished Game 2 with six total hits, and Gann led the way with two, while four different players finished with one hit apiece for the home team: Carter, Hunter Stanley, Chase Coker, Luke Craig each had one single.

MCC fell into a 7-0 hole after three innings of Game 1 and ultimately lost by a final of 8-3. Gann, Milton Smith, Coker, Trace Jordan and Carter each had one single in the loss. Stanley finished with an RBI and a triple in the five-run defeat. Sophomore Caleb Yarborough suffered the loss on the mound for the Eagles in Game 1 by working only two innings.

MCC (5-1) will return to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Scaggs Field against Shelton State Community College out of Tuscaloosa, Ala, beginning at 1 p.m.