MCC Baseball Sweeps Past Arkansas Baptist

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Eagles bounced back in a big way Saturday afternoon at Scaggs Field by taking a convincing doubleheader sweep (13-3, 10-4) over visiting Arkansas Baptist College.

MCC moved its overall record to 18-14 with the sweep, while Arkansas Baptist is now 20-11 for the 2014 season.

The final game of the three-game series between the two schools will take place Sunday afternoon at Scaggs Field beginning at 1 p.m. The game will also conclude a nine-game home stand for the Eagles.

MCC exploded for 16 hits in Game One to take a 13-3 run-rule victory over Arkansas Baptist. Dalton Thomas led the charge in the run-rule win with three hits and four RBI’s. Thomas ended the game one hit shy of the cycle and collected his sixth home run in the game for the Eagles. Brooks Balisterri and Ben Gann each had two hits apiece, while Mac Seibert added two hits and an RBI.

Former West Lauderdale star Grant Hill had another solid day at the plate for the green and white with three hits and an RBI. Goose Yates picked up the pitching win on the mound for Meridian by working 4 1/3 innings and collecting four strikeouts.

MCC continued its impressive performance at the plate in Game Two by taking a 10-4 win over Arkansas Baptist to complete the sweep. The Eagles finished the game with 12 hits and jumped on top of Arkansas Baptist 8-0 after three innings.

Garrett Larosa led the way at the plate in Game Two with three hits, while Seibert added a pair of hits and one RBI. Scott Votaw joined the hit parade in Game Two with two hits and an RBI, while Kevin Hall had a two-run single. Gann had two hits and an RBI in the victory and Hill picked up a pair of RBI’s as well.

Jake Smith picked up the pitching win for the Eagles in Game Two by working four innings and collecting six strikeouts.  

MCC Softball Splits Road DH

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Lady Eagle softball team returned to action Thursday afternoon and came away with a road split (4-6, 7-5) against Bishop State Community College.

MCC moved its overall record to 2-23 with the doubleheader split Thursday against Bishop State.

The Lady Eagles dropped Game One of the twin bill by a final score of 6-4 and finished the contest with 16 hits and stranded 10 base runners.

Kenya Harris led the way with a team high three base hits. Cheyenne Barefoot, Paige Gipson, Victoria Lewis, and Paige Bowser watched finished the game with two hits apiece.

Lyndsey Cannon suffered the loss on the mound in Game One for MCC.

The Lady Eagles were able to bounce back and take Game Two of the doubleheader by a final count of 7-5.

MCC scratched six runs in the first two innings that proved to be enough to come away with the two-run win.

Chelsea Moore and Barefoot led the way for MCC with three hits, while Lewis had another solid game with a pair of base hits.

Cannon bounced back and secured the win on the mound in Game Two for the green and white.

MCC is scheduled to return to action Friday afternoon in a home doubleheader agonist Hinds, but threatening weather will more than likely cause the games to be rescheduled for a later date.

MCC Tennis Sweeps Road Matches At ECCC

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College men’s and women’s tennis teams continued its recent success on the court by taking  road victories earlier this week against East Central Community College in Decatur, MS.  The MCC men won all the courts it competed on Monday afternoon.

In doubles action, the number one team of Kevin Millet/Chris Mallette defeated Juan Miranda/Daniel Giles 8-2.  At two, Will Rogers/Cody Gallenbeck defeated Javon Yarbrough/Tanner Moore 8-0 and at three, Reed Wade/TJ Carter defeated Ethan Rigdon/Brandon St. C lair 8-4.

In singles, Millet won 6-2, 6-4 over Miranda.  Rogers defeated Daniel Giles 6-3, 6-2.  At three Mallette defeated Yarbrough 6-4, 6-3.  TJ Carter, who played four, defeated Brandon St. C lair 7-6(4), 6-4.  At number five. Reed Wade defeated Ethan Rigdon 6-1, 6-2.  ECCC’s Tanner Moore lost to Christian Jackson 6-1, 7-5. 

In women’s action, MCC won 9-0 as well.  Mallory Davis/Jenni Smith won over Alana Turner/Amber Pierce 8-4; Molly Davis/Madison Gillette defeated Hannah Peoples/Nan Hartness 8-5.  The three doubles team of Caroline Terry/Taylor White defeated Katlyn Patrick/Lauren Peterson 8-1.  In singles, Davis won the one court 6-1, 6-1 over Peoples.  Jenni Smith won the two court 6-3, 6-4 over Alana Turner.  Madison Gillette took the win at three over Amber Pierce 6-4, 6-3.  MCC’s Caroline Terry won the four court over Nan Hartness 6-3, 6-0.  Molly Davis won at five 6-1, 6-1 over Hannah Smith, and Taylor White won at six over Kristen Jenkins 6-2, 6-0.

Meridian travels to Itawamba Thursday afternoon for huge matches that will feature two great teams.  The ICC men and the MCC men are undefeated in conference play, so there will be a lot riding on this match with ICC having the home court advantage.  The Meridian women currently have losses against both Gulf Coast and Jones County in conference play. 

MCC returns to action at home Friday at 1:00 against ECCC.  Another home match is scheduled for April 1 against Holmes Community College at Northeast Tennis Center at 2:00.  The Eagles then have the rest of the week off as far as scheduled matches. 

MCC Baseball Announes Schedule Change

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team is currently in the middle of a nine-game home stand that will conclude this weekend as Arkansas Baptist will pay a visit to Scaggs Field for a three-game series. The threat of heavy rain Thursday and Friday has forced the series to be changed this weekend between the two schools.

The series was originally scheduled to begin Friday and conclude on Saturday, but the series will now be played Saturday and Sunday at Scaggs Field. MCC will now open its three-game series with Arkansas Baptist Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m. and the series will end Sunday afternoon with a single nine-inning game at 1 p.m.

MCC is currently 16-14 overall for the 2014 season and 2-1 in Miss-Lou Conference play.

MCC Tennis Completes Busy Weekend of Matches

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College tennis squads returned to action over the weekend as the Meridian women were defeated  5-4 at the hands of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, while the MCC men took a win 7-2.

The MCC women lost all three courts.  Mallory Davis/Jenni Smith lost to Christa Owens/Kit Chowdary 8-6, while at number two doubles, Molly Davis/Madison Gillette lost to Brittany Buker/Tori Rose 8-5, and the number three duo of Caroline Terry/Taylor White lost to Alisha Barlow/Annisa Johnson 8-4.  Meridian won singles matches at number two with Jenni Smith winning a hard fought match against Kit Chowdary 2-6, 6-3, 10-6; Madison Gillette defeating Tori Rose 5-3, 6-2, Molly Davis winning 6-0, 6-1 and Taylor White winning 6-4, 6-2.  Mallory Davis lost to top-recruited player from 2013 graduating class, Christa Owen, 6-2, 6-2.  Caroline Terry lost to Brittany Buker 6-3, 6-0.

In men’s action, Kevin Millet defeated Matt Barlow at number one singles 6-0, 7-5.  At number two singles, Will Rogers defeated Travous Wilson 6-2, 6-2.  Chris Mallette won his match at number three against D’Angelo Baxter 6-0, 6-3.  The number four singles for MCC, Cody Gallenbeck, who was playing in Judson Watson’s spot, lost 6-2, 6-2 to Bobby Vo.  The number five singles was won by MCC’s Reed Wade over Tyler Youngblood 6-2, 6-2.  Christian Jackson defeated Josh Johnson at number six 6-4, 6-4.  Meridian won the one and two doubles with scores of 8-6, 8-6, while the number three duo of Reed Wade/TJ Carter lost to Youngblood/Vo 8-6. 

Meridian’s women played host to Seminole State out of Seminole, Oklahoma on Saturday, losing by a score of 6-3.  Again, Meridian lost all three doubles by scores of 9-8 (2), 1-8, and 8-6.  Meridian’s only wins came at number three singles where Madison Gillette defeated Haley Pope 6-2, 6-1.  The number four singles was won by MCC’s Caroline Terry 7-5, 7-5.  At number five singles MCC’s Molly Davis dominated the court with a win over Shay Hurren 6-2, 6-1.  Taylor White lost a heartbreaker at number six.  She won  the first set 5-7, lost the second set 6-2 then lost a super tiebreak 12-10.

“We just have to learn to be more consistent in singles and to “pack a lunch.”  Singles is a marathon whereas doubles is a sprint,” stated MCC head coach Wanda McPhail. “Sometimes a player has to want it more than the other player does. “You can’t coach heart; you can’t coach desire. It comes from within.” Yogi Berra said that ninety percent of baseball is mental and the other fifty percent is physical. Tennis is the same way.  We just have to do some more maturing on the courts and work together as a team.”