Eagles shock #1 LSU-Eunice in late night comeback

MERIDIAN, MS – The Meridian Community College baseball team (40-19) faced the most talented team in NJCAA division II baseball in the opening round of the 2007 NJCAA Region 23 baseball tournament Monday night at Scaggs Field. Louisiana State University at Eunice (44-13) came into the opening round of the tournament ranked no. 1 in the NJCAA poll and was looking to defend both their Region 23 and National Championships from last season. For the first 6 innings it looked like LSU-Eunice would do just that, until the Eagles awoke late in the evening to real of one of the most improbable comebacks in school history.

Meridian trailed 7-0 heading into the 7th inning and had just one hit when pinch hitter Josh Demoney came up to bat and hit a 2-run homerun to score MCC’s first runs of the game.

Then shortstop Shannon Steed’s squeeze bunt with two outs scored Drew Snider from third base to pull MCC to within 4 runs, 7-3.

The Eagles put more runs on the board in the 8th inning. Bases were loaded with two outs and Justin Worby drove in three runs with a double to make the score 7-6. Scott Mosley then drove in pinch runner sophomore Kendrick Martin from 2nd base with the Eagles second consecutive double to tie up the ballgame 7-7.

After relief pitcher Wade Weathers shutdown the LSU-Eunice lineup in the 8th, the fireworks continued for the Eagles in the 9th.

After Toddrick Stevenson struck out to lead off the inning, Matt Holliman and Michael Guerro both walked to put two runners on base for MCC’s leading hitter, Tyler Moore. Moore then sent a 3-run homerun into the Meridian night and put MCC on top 10-7 in one of the more improbable comebacks in MCC history. The Eagles scored 10 unanswered runs in the final three innings to knock off the #1 team in the nation and to advance to play Northwest Mississippi Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

“Obviously Demoney’s homerun got things going for us,” said MCC’s head baseball coach Chris Rose.

“Worby and Moore came up huge for us also.”

“In the middle of the game I didn’t think that we deserved to win, but we turned it around, finally started to play some defense and got it done.”

“To beat the #1 team in the nation in this comeback on our field, it doesn’t get any better.”

MCC’s starting pitcher, Lee Swindle lasted 6 innings striking out six batters. Jason Coats, John Hendrix and Wade Weathers all came in for relief to close out the game. Weathers ended up with 3 strikeouts in two innings pitched.

LSU-Eunice starting pitcher, Luke Wagley lasted 7 2/3’s inning giving up 6 runs on 4 hits, walking 6 and struck out 14 batters.

At the plate, MCC’s Moore and Worby combined for 6 RBIs, while Josh Demoney collected two hits and 2 RBIs.

For LSU Eunice, leadoff batter Boomer Blanchard had two hits, a single and a double.

LSU-Eunice advances to take on Itawamba at 4 p.m. Tuesday, while MCC will play Northwest Mississippi at 7 pm Tuesday night.