Meridian falls to Kaskaskia

By Robby Atkinson / Special to The Star

MERIDIAN- The Meridian Community College Eagles have had plenty of difficult points in the early stages of its 2011 season and the Eagles had to swallow another tough pill after Tuesday afternoon at Scaggs Field. The Eagles suffered a tough setback at the hands of Kaskaskia College by a final score of 7-6 in local junior college baseball.

The game went into extra innings as the Devils were able to plate the game winning run in the top of the tenth inning to secure the road victory over Meridian.

MCC dropped to 13-11 overall for the season and six of the losses for the Eagles this season have been by one run in each contest.

"We had opportunities to score early and we didn't capitalize," said MCC head coach Chris Curry. "When our approach is like that in a game that is a recipe to get beat."

The Eagles got off to a terrific start with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Kenny Roberts reached base on a two-out walk and later came around to score on a single to center field by Wade Wass to give Meridian the early lead. MCC extended its lead in the bottom of the second inning with a pair of runs to push its lead to 3-0. Garrett Pitts led the inning off by reaching on a walk and Dustin James followed by reaching on a base hit to put a pair of runners aboard for Meridian.

Darren Farmer followed with a walk to load the bases and Brian Donohoe recorded a very easy RBI with a bases loaded walk. Roberts collected an RBI moments later for MCC with a sacrifice fly that scored James.

Kaskaskia (4-2) jumped out in front of the Eagles with five runs in the top of the fourth inning to erase the Meridian lead at 5-3. Dan Carroll secured an RBI single in the inning for the Devils and Cody Coffey also had a two-run single in the five-run inning for Kaskaskia. One run scored on a fielder's choice in the inning by Steven Todoshuck and another run crossed the plate on a wild pitch by Meridian to account for all of the runs in the fourth inning.

Kaskaskia added another run in the top of the sixth inning to increase its cushion. Dalton Page provided the spark for the Devils with an RBI single in the sixth inning. The Eagles started to claw back in the game in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Kaskaskia lead to 6-5. Donohoe drove one run in for the Eagles on a sacrifice fly and Roberts added an RBI single in the two-run sixth inning for the Eagles.

MCC would tie the game late with a big charge from Farmer. The West Lauderdale product belted a solo home run over the wall in left field to tie the game headlining into the ninth inning. Both teams came up empty in the ninth inning, but Kaskaskia was able to scratch for a run in the top of the tenth inning to take the narrow one-run victory over the Eagles.

Ben Campbell led the tenth inning off with a double and later scored on a wild pitch which gave the Devils the one-run victory.

MCC ended the game with six hits and was led by Roberts and Donohoe with two hits apiece. Carroll led the way for the Devils with a game-high three base hits in the win for Kaskaskia.

The Eagles return to action this Friday on the road at Bossier Parish Community for a doubleheader which begins at 1 p.m. in Shreveport, LA. MCC will return to action at Scaggs Field this Saturday for a single game with Kishwaukee Community College at 2 p.m.