Ahlzadeh slams Eagles to victory

The Meridian Star
By Robby Atkinson / Special to The Star

MERIDIAN — The Meridian Community College Eagles needed a big hit at the right time and got just that on Sunday at Scaggs Field. Freshman Avi Ahlzadeh drilled a three run double that broke a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning as MCC held on for a narrow 8-7 win over Kaskaskia College.

The Eagles improved to 12-5 with the victory over the Blue Devils on Sunday and seem to be clicking on all cylinders after the second win of the weekend over Kaskaskia.

“The three run seventh inning was very big of course,” said MCC head coach Chris Rose. “We made some good defensive plays behind our pitchers today and we got those big hits at the right time. I am proud of our guys for battling late in the game and we never quit.”

MCC defeated Kaskaskia back on Friday 5-2 and the Eagles will return to action today on the road to take on Bossier Parish in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. in Vicksburg. The Eagles will return to action at Scaggs Field on Wednesday in a doubleheader against Kishwaukee and take on Jones Thursday in another doubleheader. All of the games at home this week for the Eagles will begin at 2 p.m.

Kaskaskia (1-3) came out swinging the bats well early in the game to take a 1-0 lead over MCC. Josh Rosol reached base on a walk for the Blue Devils and later crossed the plate on an RBI single by Anthony Even to give Kaskaskia the 1-0 lead over MCC.

The Eagles answered in the bottom of the first inning with a long home run to tie the game at 1-1. Sophomore Corey Dickerson belted his sixth home run of the season to led off the inning and tie the score at 1-1. The Eagles would eventually take its first lead of the game with a lone run in the third inning to make the score 2-1.

Dickerson reached base on a double and came around to score moments later on a single by shortstop Jonathan Pace to make the score 2-1. The Eagles continued to extend its lead with yet another run in the fifth inning to make the score 3-1. Dickerson led the inning off with another double and would come in to score on a sacrifice fly by Ben Kingsley to give Meridian a two-run cushion.

The Blue Devils would mount a big inning that would erase the MCC lead in the sixth inning and give Kaskaskia a 5-3 lead over the Eagles. Mason Rovenstine led the inning off with a walk and Ben Tinklin followed with a single to put a pair of runners on for Kaskaskia.

MCC made a move to the bullpen and brought in freshman Daniel Allen to relive starter Alan Williams who worked 5 1/3 innings and collected five strikeouts. Allen entered the game for Meridian and surrendered a double to Ben Campbell that brought the score to 3-2. The most unlikely hit would come moments later that would give Kaskaskia its first lead of the game

Troy Davis entered the game to pinch hit for the Blue Devils and gave Kaskaskia the lead on a two-run double that made the score 4-3. The Blue Devils added one more run in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Josh Rosol that made the score 5-3. The lead would not last very long for the visitors as MCC would hit another home run and tie the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Former Meridian High standout Kenny Roberts blasted a two-run homer over the wall in left field to bring life back into the Eagles and tie the score at 5-5.

Roberts currently leads the team in the home run department with seven round trippers and hits ninth in the Meridian lineup.

MCC would take the lead for good with the big blow of the game from Ahlzadeh in the seventh to make the score 8-5. Pace led the seventh inning off with a single and Kingsely reached base on a double, while catcher Darren Farmer drew an intentional walk to set the table for Ahlzadeh. The Atlanta, GA native connected on a belt high pitch and drove a double to left center that score three runs and made the score 8-5 in favor of MCC.

Kaskaskia scored one run in the eighth and ninth inning, but it would not be enough as MCC held on for the 8-7 victory. Allen earned the pitching win out of the bullpen for MCC and former West Lauderdale standout Dustin McWilliams earned a save going an 1 2/3 for the Eagles.

Dickerson led the way for MCC with three hits including two doubles and Pace added three singles for the Eagles. The first three hitters in the lineup for the Eagles got eight of the 12 hits in the game for MCC. Paul Ritzheimer led the way for the Blue Devils with three hits and Campbell ended the contest with three hits including a double for Kaskaskia.