MCC Walks Away With Win Over SE Iowa

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Eagles snapped its three-game losing streak in dramatic fashion Tuesday afternoon at Scaggs Field. Freshman Ben Gann connected on a one-out double in the bottom of the tenth inning to propel the Eagles to a 6-5 win over Southeastern Iowa. MCC improved its overall record for the 2013 season to 10-11 with the win over the Blackhawks and the two teams will meet again Wednesday afternoon at Scaggs Field beginning at 2 p.m.

MCC started the game by scoring two runs to take a very early 2-0 lead after one complete inning. Johnathan Youngblood started the inning off by reaching on an infield single and later scored on a double by Paul Angel to give MCC the 1-0 lead. The offense continued for MCC moments later as Charles Morton gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead by chasing Angel home on a single up the middle.

Southeastern Iowa (9-9) would bounce right back with four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-2 lead over MCC. Jose Cruz started the inning off by reaching on a single and later scored on a double by Alejandro Quijada to cut the MCC lead down to just one run at 2-1. The Blackhawks tied the game on an infield error by the Eagles and Colby Brecht gave Southeastern Iowa the lead with an RBI double to make the score 3-2. Hector Viera extended the lead for the Blackhawks on an RBI single to give Southeastern Iowa to a two-run lead at 4-2.

MCC slowly started to chip away at the Southeastern Iowa lead with one run in the bottom of the third to draw the Eagles closer at 4-3. Kevin Hall collected the RBI for MCC on a bases loaded groundout that chased home Luke Stanley from third base to bring the Eagles to within one run.

The Eagles would eventually tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning on a sharp single to left field by Youngblood that scored former Meridian High star Dallas Hannah from second base to make the score 4-4. Southeastern Iowa answered the MCC rally in the fourth inning with a run of its own in the top of the fifth inning to recapture the lead at 5-4. Cruz reached on an error in the outfield by the Eagles and eventually scored on a double by Lazaro Romero to give the Blackhawks the one-run lead.

MCC would bounce right back to tie the game at 5-5 with a run in the bottom portion of the fifth inning. Morton led the inning off with a double and crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right field by Mac Seibert.

The two teams turned the game over to its respected bullpens and pitching took over the game until MCC struck for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the tenth inning. Seibert led the tenth inning off by reaching on an infield single and advanced to second base on a picture perfect sacrifice bunt by Hannah to put the winning run in scoring position for MCC. The Eagles went to the bench and brought in Levi Runyan to run for Seibert at second base and Gann came to the plate to deliver the game-winning hit. Gann drove a 1-1 pitch deep in gap in right-center field that chased Runyan home from second base to give MCC the dramatic 6-5 victory over the Blackhawks.

Both teams finished the game with 10 hits apiece and MCC had three hitters with multiple hits in the contest. Youngblood, Morton, and Seibert each finished with two hits apiece in the home victory. Tanner Vandevere, Luke Stanley, and Paul Angel each finished the game with one hit apiece.

Tanner Giesel led the Blackhawks with two base hits and one RBI, while Romero added two hits and an RBI.

Blake Barrow (2-2) picked up the pitching win out of the bullpen by working the tenth inning and collecting one strikeout. Andrew Crook shined out of the bullpen in the game for MCC by working four scoreless innings in relief of starting pitcher Brandon Smith.

Dustin Carlson (0-1) took the loss out of the bullpen for the Blackhawks and worked 2 1/3 innings.

MCC Lady Eagles Set For Region 23 Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles are preparing for the next chapter of its 2012-2013 season and looking for a repeat of a magical postseason run from a year ago. The Lady Eagles have qualified for the field of the 2013 Region 23 Tournament which will be played at A.E. Wood Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi College. MCC captured the 2012 Region 23 Championship last season and are hoping for the same result this season, but the road will be much more difficult for the Lady Eagles in 2013.

MCC will open the tournament Thursday night against Copiah-Lincoln Community College at 6 p.m. The Lady Eagles will enter the field as the number seven seed, while the Lady Wolves will enter the Region 23 Tournament as the top seeded team. Co-Lin clinched the top spot in the field of the tournament by capturing the MACJC State Championship last week by defeating Northeast Mississippi Community College by a final score of 64-46. The MACJC State Tournament was played last week on the campus of Pearl River Community College.

MCC (20-10) finished runner-up for the 2012-2013 Miss-Lou Conference Championship by dropping a heartbreaker on the road Saturday at Baton Rouge Community College by a final score of 96-89 in overtime. The Lady Eagles had solid scoring efforts in the final regular season game of the season from Ashtin McNichols (22 points) and Gelese Lampton (21 points).

Lampton has paced the Lady Eagles in the scoring department all season by averaging close to 20 points per contest and the Hattiesburg, MS native also closed the regular season by draining over 100 three-point baskets. Lampton has already signed a basketball scholarship to continue her playing career at Prairie View A&M.

McNichols, a former Newton High standout, will look to continue her solid play over the past 10 games. McNichols has primarily seen most of her minutes off the bench during the 2012-2013 season, but the sophomore has drawn several starts down the stretch of the season. McNichols leads the team in free throw percentage and will look to give MCC a veteran presence in the tournament.

Reyada Stinner, a former Meridian High product, will look to help pace the Lady Eagles in the tournament as well. Stinner leads MCC in assists and was a key factor in the postseason run last season for the Lady Eagles by draining two key three-point baskets in the championship game against Itawamaba in 2012.

Co-Lin (23-3) will enter the 2013 Region 23 Tournament having won 13 straight games and the Lady Wolves are currently ranked among the top 30 teams in the country according to the latest NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Poll. MCC eliminated the Lady Wolves in the semi-final round of the 2012 Region 23 Tournament at Mississippi College.

Vintrice Briggs leads Co-Lin by averaging 12 points per game, while Chanta Poole is averaging 11 points per game.

Northeast Mississippi Community College will face Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, while Jones County Junior College will tangle with Baton Rouge Community College at 2:30 p.m. Itawamba Community College takes on Northwest Mississippi Community College at 8 p.m. in the final game of the opening day of the 2013 Region 23 Women’s Tournament.

The JCJC/BRCC winner will meet the Northeast/MGCCC winner at 6 p.m. on Friday, while the Itawamba/Northwest winner plays the Co-Lin/MCC winner at 8 p.m.

The women’s championship game is set for 6 p.m. on March 9.


Region 23 Tournament

At Mississippi College

A.E. Wood Coliseum

WOMEN

Thursday’s games

Northeast vs. Mississippi Gulf Coast, 12:30 p.m.

Jones County vs. Baton Rouge Community College (La.), 2:30 p.m.

Co-Lin Community College vs. Meridian Community College, 6 p.m.

Itawamba vs. Northwest, 8 p.m.

Friday’s games

JCJC/BRCC winner vs. Northeast/MGCCC winner, 6 p.m.

Itawamba/Northwest winner vs. Co-Lin/MCC winner, 8 p.m.

Saturday’s game

Championship, 6 p.m.

MCC Baseball Splits Home Set With Wabash Valley

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Eagles returned to Scaggs Field Sunday afternoon for a cold afternoon of baseball against Wabash Valley and came away with a split against the Warriors (16-8, 1-4). MCC moved its overall record to 9-9 after a split earlier in the week against Jones County Junior College (0-2, 3-2).

The Eagles will return to the field Wednesday afternoon for a road doubleheader against East Central Community College. The twin bill against the Warriors is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

MCC 16

Wabash Valley 8

The Eagles were able to outscore the Warriors in the opening game of the Sunday doubleheader to secure an eight-run victory. MCC finished the game with 18 hits, while Wabash Valley ended the game with 13 hits.

Andrew Crook (2-0) picked up the pitching win in relief for the Eagles by working 4 2/3 innings and collecting six strikeouts.

Kevin Hall led MCC at the plate with a pair of hits, including a two-run home run which paced a seven-run fifth inning for the Eagles. Johnathan Youngblood added three singles in the game, while former Meridian High standout Luke Stanley added a pair of hits and two RBI’s. Ben Gann and Tanner Vandevere each had three hits in the game, while Mike Williams added two hits and one hit included triple in the opening game for the Eagles.

Tim Barry led Wabash Valley at the plate with three hits and four RBI’s in the opening game of the doubleheader, while Cole Gleason added a pair of base hits for the Warriors.

Wabash Valley 4

MCC 1

Wabash Valley got a solid pitching performance from Matt Pletzke to secure the split over Meridian. Pletzke allowed one run, three hits, while striking out eight in the complete game effort.

Ole Miss signee Mitchell Babb (2-1) took the pitching loss on the mound for the Eagles after working four innings and allowing four runs (two earned), to go along with five strikeouts.

Charles Morton led the Eagles in the second game with an RBI single in the first inning, while Paul Angel and Ben Gann accounted for the other two hits in the game for the Eagles.

Colton Gleason led Wabash Valley at the plate in the second game of the twin bill with two hits and a run scored.