Bobcats utilize Eagles’ errors in sweep

By Dennis Watson/Special to The Star The Meridian Star

MERIDIAN — In a game where two teams used contrasting styles to put runs on the board, the Jones County Junior College Bobcats capitalized on a few untimely errors to take the first game of a doubleheader from Meridian Community College 8-7 Wednesday at Scaggs Field. The Bobcats completed the sweep with an 11-3 decision in the nightcap.

"We played as poorly as we could play today, it’s my job to get them prepared and I obviously failed," Meridian coach Chris Rose said.

"They came to beat MCC and we brought nothing to the table."

The scoring got started in the first when Chris Lofton reached base on an error — the first of six in the game for the Eagles — and Zachary Robertson followed with a single and Lofton scored on a throwing error. Nick Ray continued the scoring when he singled in Robertson to make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors after the top of the first.

MCC struck back in the bottom half of the frame when Corey Dickerson led off the inning with a double in the right-center field gap. Then former West Lauderdale standout Darren Farmer connected and sent a shot towering over the center field wall to knot the game at 2.

Then in the top of the second inning, MCC starting pitcher Scott Lord allowed a couple of hits. He settled down, however, and collected his fourth strikeout to end the Bobcat threat.

MCC got back on the board in their half of the third when Farmer struck again, this time sending a bomb over the left field wall. Farmer’s second two-run home run put the Eagles up 4-2, but this game was far from over.

Jones scratched another run in the top of the fourth when Lofton singled and scored Graham Odom to bring the Bobcats within one run. MCC would not go silent in the bottom half as Rob McWhirter led off the inning with a single and then Michael LeGrange blasted a home run to left, making the score 6-3 in favor of the home team.

MCC was not quite done in the fourth, Dickerson decided to join the long ball party when he notched his fifth home run of the campaign.

With the score 7-3, Jones capitalized on an error and Dorian Hamilton singled in the fourth run of the game for the Bobcats. Then Brock Landry delivered a clutch two-run double to score Hamilton and Ray who reached on the sixth and final error.

Down 7-6, Jones sent relief pitcher Ryan Waters to the mound, and Waters was certainly up to the task. The righty provided a huge lift when he struck out the side in both the fifth and sixth innings. Jones then played small ball and beat out two fielders choices to take the lead 8-7 off seven unearned runs, and it was Waters who came in and closed the door and the Eagles’ attempts of a comeback.

"Some guys had very good days at the plate but our team defense was horrible and Jones took advantage — we gave them Game 1 and they took it," Rose added.

Waters collected the win going 3 innings, striking out seven, and giving up just two hits. Chase Jordan took the loss for the Eagles (8-3).

Dickerson, the future Mississippi State Bulldog, went 3-4 with 2 RBIs and was a triple away from the cycle. Farmer finished with a big day going 2-4 with those 2 home runs and 4 RBIs.

The second game was much like the first, as MCC struck early but couldn't hang on against the Bobcats. The Eagles scored three in the first before JCJC responded with six in the second. The Bobcats tacked on three more in the fourth and two in the seventh.

"They did everything better than us in the second game — Pitching. Hitting. Defense. Intensity," Rose said. "We scored three in the first and they score six in the second and we gave them four of the six."

Farmer again led MCC's offensive attack, going 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. Dickerson doubled and Jonathan Pace had two hits.

Dalton Kulas started for Meridian, lasting 3 1/3 innings in his first start of the year. Daniel Allen and Steven Taylor relieved as the Eagles fell to 8-4.

MCC hosts Northwest Florida College on Friday.