MCC Baseball Prepares For Rush Invitational Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team is preparing to host the 2014 Rush Invitational Tournament at Scaggs Field this weekend and this will also mark the first home games of the 2014 regular season for the Eagles. MCC opened the regular season last Saturday by dropping a pair of games in Raymond, MS to Mineral Area (MO.) by a final of 14-10 and to Hinds by a count of 1-0.

The Eagles were originally scheduled to open the home portion of its schedule on Wednesday against Jones County Junior College, but heavy rain caused the games to be rescheduled for February 23.

The 2014 Rush Invitational Tournament will consist of three teams that include: Meridian, Kaskaskia College (IL), and Jefferson College (MO). Meridian has already taken to the field for two games, but the other two squads will see the field for the first time this weekend. MCC will open the tournament Saturday morning at 11 a.m. against Kaskaskia College from Illinois.

The Blue Devils will look to continue its recent run of success in 2014 after making an appearance in the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, CO in 2013. Kaskaskia competes in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference and should be a tough test for the Eagles to open the tournament Saturday morning.

MCC will conclude play on Saturday with a 5 p.m. game against Jefferson College from Missouri. The Vikings have a recent string of appearances in the JUCO World Series by advancing the grand stage in 2002, 2011, and 2012. Jefferson College competes in the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference and has won seven straight conference titles heading into 2014. Jefferson College is actually opening the season Friday with a doubleheader against Dyersburg State in Tennessee before making the trip to Meridian.

Jefferson College and Kaskaskia will meet twice during the weekend as well with games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. MCC will play twice on Sunday following its two games on Saturday. The Eagles will tangle with Jefferson College on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. and Kaskaskia at 5 p.m. The games that the Eagles will compete in this weekend will be seven-inning contests.