By Brandon Walker

assistant sports editor

DECATUR — The East Central Community College Warriors were determined to keep history from repeating itself.

In game one of a doubleheader with rival East Mississippi Wednesday, the Warriors failed to protect a late lead, allowing a 2-0 lead to turn into a disappointing 3-2 loss.

Faced with nearly the exact same scenario in the nightcap, the Warriors broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning and retired EMCC without incident in the top of the seventh to salvage a split with a 4-3 win.

“That was tough, for both teams,” remarked East Central head coach Neal Holliman, whose team improved to 23-16 overall and maintained its MACJC Central Division lead at 6-2. “It was really a struggle all day long, but both teams kept fighting. We ended up making enough plays to pull out a win there at the end, just like they did in game one.”

In game two, the Lions opened the scoring in the top of the first, as Lions’ third baseman Nathan Peden delivered an opposite field home run to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

East Central would immediately respond, as Dion Williams connected for an RBI double off EMCC starter Drake Gregory to plate leadoff hitter Terrell Hendrix, tying the game at 1-1.

EMCC second baseman Nathan Riley delivered an RBI single in the top of the second, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead.

The game’s back-and-forth nature continued in the bottom of the third, when Gregory walked ECCC catcher Chris Parkman with the bases loaded to tie the game at 2-2. One batter later, East Central’s Josh Lafferty delivered a sacrifice fly to give ECCC a 3-2 lead, which stood until the top of the sixth.

For his part, Gregory allowed three runs on five hits in three innings of work while East Central starter Gregory Stovall allowed two runs on four hits in four innings.

The visiting Lions, who entered the day with a 1-5 mark in division play, rallied once again in the top of the sixth. Shortstop Tyler Weston delivered a two-out, RBI single off of ECCC reliever Robert Westbrook to once again knot the score.

On a day where neither team ever enjoyed a lead larger than two runs, East Central’s final rally in the bottom of the sixth inning enabled the Warriors to escape with a victory.

With the game tied at 3-3, leftfielder Luke Walker led off the inning with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by ZeEricka Hall. Two pitches later, Walker advanced to third on a wild pitch by EMCC pitcher Josh Dunn and eventually scored on a throwing error by Lions’ catcher Ed Guidry.

Staked to a 4-3 lead, East Central reliever Timothy Maloney retired the Lions in order to close the game out.

“I was proud that we answered there in game two,” Holliman added. “We hurt ourselves in the first game but we fought back and did what we had to do.”

Westbrook earned the win for East Central with Maloney garnering the save. Dunn was charged with the loss.



East Mississippi 3

East Central 2



Taking the mound in game one for EMCC, former West Lauderdale standout J. Stoddard labored through a rough first inning, yielding two early runs before escaping without further damage.

Stoddard would not struggle again.

EMCC’s lefty starter was brilliant the rest of the, limiting East Central to just one hit over the final six innings to capture a masterful 3-2 win.

“We really hurt ourselves a few times there in game one, but mostly, they just made plays,” Holliman said. “Sometimes, you just have to give credit to your opponent for a game well played.”

Stoddard struck out four and walked three in his seven innings of work while East Central starter Mack Creighton allowed three runs in four innings of work to take the loss.

East Central’s early offensive onslaught included an RBI single by shortstop Brian Jones and a sacrifice fly by Parkman to help build the 2-0 lead.

That lead would hold up until the top of the fifth, when the Lions came to life offensively. Gregory reached on an error by Jones and Riley reached base on a bunt to put runners at the corners with none out. Weston roped an RBI double to the wall in left, cutting the lead to 2-1 and chasing Creighton in the process.

Jones came on in relief and promptly struck out a pair of Lions before Tyler Hodge connected for a grounder that Jones mishandled, allowing the tying and go-ahead runs to score.

Leading 3-2, Stoddard retired the last nine East Central batters to seal the win.

Offensively, Weston had a pair of hits to lead EMCC while Hodge and Brock Mosely each doubled.

With the split, East Central moved to 23-16 on the year and will travel to meet Meridian Saturday.