MCC uses HRs to win opener

By Robby Atkinson / Special to The Star

MERIDIAN — The Meridian Community College Eagles opened the 2011 baseball season Friday morning at the First Pitch Classic in Panama City, Fla., hoping to get the season off on a high note.

The Eagles used four home runs and solid pitching from the bullpen to secure its first victory by a score of 7-3 against Florida Gulf Coast, which is the host school for the tourney.

The Eagles trailed 3-0 after three innings of play, but were able to use a five-run fifth inning to take down the Commodores. The victory for the Eagles was also the first head coaching victory at Meridian Community College for Chris Curry.

"We are just trying to carry on the tradition here at Meridian Community College and our guys put in a lot of hard work to prepare for this weekend," said Curry. "I thought that we were a little tenative at the plate in the early stages of the game, but the things starting to come together for us with some good at bats by some of our veteran guys. I am very proud of our effort and we beat a quality opponent that won their conference last season and it is such a great way to get the season started."

Gulf Coast took a quick lead against Meridian in the bottom of the first inning as leadoff hitter Terrance Gore delivered a solo home run over the left field fence. Gulf Coast extended its lead with a pair of runs in the third inning to take the 3-0 lead. D'Andre Tony drove one of the runs in on a single and another run scored in the frame on a wild pitch by starting MCC pitcher Nolan Thomas.

MCC battled back in the top of the fourth inning to cut the Gulf Coast lead to 3-1 thanks to the long ball. Sophmore Kenny Roberts, a former Meridian High star, batted a home run over the fence, before the Eagles took the lead for good in the following inning.

Brain Donohoe led the top of the sixth inning off by reaching on a hit-by-pitch and later scored on an RBI double by former West Lauderdale standout Darren Farmer to make the score 3-2.

Gulf Coast would make a pitching change after the double by Farmer. Reliever Andrew Fonzi was able to collect a strikeout of Johnny Tolson to record the second out of the inning, but the Commodores were once again not able to escape from the long ball. Roberts followed the strikeout of Tolson to draw a walk to put a pair of runners on with two outs. Ben Kingsley strolled to the plate for Meridian and smashed a three-run home run to give MCC the lead for good at 5-3.

The Eagles added a pair of insurance runs later in the game to come away with the first win. Freshman Wade Wass collected his first home run as an Eagle with a solo home run in the sixth inning and Kinglsey had his second home run with a solo shot in the ninth inning.

MCC had 11 hits in the game and had five players with at least two hits. Hunter Trawick had two hits for Meridian including a double and Wass ended the game with two hits. Thomas worked four innings as the starting pitcher for MCC and had five strikeouts. Freshman Michael Manley worked four scoreless innings in relief and freshman Brandon Hallford worked a scoreless ninth inning to secure the win.

Meridian returns to action today at 10 a.m. against Tallahassee Community College in the second day of the First Pitch Classic at Bill Frazier Field.