Yates Named MACJC Player of the Week

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team is coming off a very successful week on the diamond where it won four straight MACJC games and one player is being honored for his individual accomplishments. Sophomore third baseman Goose Yates was named the MACJC Player of the Week on Tuesday afternoon after helping lead the Eagles to six victories in seven games last week.

Yates finished the week by going 9-for-18 with a solo home run as the Eagles swept doubleheader’s with Spring Hill, Northeast Mississippi, and Southwest Mississippi. Yates collected five doubles and drove in six runs, while playing flawless at third base for the Eagles. Yates was batting .289 coming into action this week with 23 runs scored which is best on the team. Yates also has a pair of homers for the season and 14 RBI’s, to go along with a slugging percentage of .467 for the season.

Yates will now be nominated for the NJCAA Division II National Player of the Week which will be announced later this week. Yates joins Ryan Lane and Josh Rich as players from Meridian that have also won this particular honor during the 2015 season for MCC. 

MCC Baseball Stays Hot With Sweep of Southwest

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Eagles closed out its long home stand on Saturday afternoon with yet another conference doubleheader at Scaggs Field. The Eagles took care of business in grand fashion by sweeping Southwest Mississippi Community College by final scores of 8-6 and 5-2 on a chilly afternoon on the diamond. MCC improved to 20-9 overall with the sweep and moved to 8-4 in conference play. MCC also closed the week by winning four straight heading into its next conference doubleheader which will be on the road at East Mississippi Community College. The games are scheduled for this Tuesday at East Mississippi with the first pitch slated for 4 p.m.

MCC needed plenty of offense in Game One on Saturday against Southwest to win by a final count of 8-6. The Eagles finished Game One with 11 hits as a team, while the Bears had eight total hits. Sophomore Dalton Thomas led the charge by going 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI’s, while former West Lauderdale product Daniel Hill added a pair of runs scored and two base hits. Jaylon Keys and Dustin Smith each added two hits and an RBI apiece in the two-run victory.

Former Clarkdale star Jonathan Porter (1-0) picked up the pitching victory in relief by working three innings and collecting one strikeout.

MCC completed the sweep in Game Two by defeating the Bears by a final count of 5-2. Thomas had the hot bat in Game Two for the Eagles by smashing a three-run homer which led his team at the plate. Michael Druhan had one of the five Meridian hits in Game Two with an RBI single and Daniel Hill also picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice in the Game Two victory.

Freshman Josh Rich (4-2) notched the pitching victory in Game Two by working 4 1/3 innings and collecting a pair of strikeouts. Freshman Cade Noble worked the rest of the game from the MCC bullpen and also had two strikeouts.

MCC Baseball Sweeps Away Northeast Mississippi

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Eagles returned to the field Wednesday afternoon looking to bounce back after a disappointing loss on Tuesday by playing host to Northeast Mississippi Community College. The Eagles bounced back in grand fashion by sweeping past Northeast Mississippi by final scores of 8-3 and 8-1 on Wednesday at Scaggs Field.

MCC improved to 18-9 overall and 6-4 in league play, while Northeast Mississippi dropped to 7-13 and 3-7. The Eagles will return to action on Saturday for an MACJC doubleheader with Southwest Mississippi Community College. First pitch of the twin bill against the Bears is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Scaggs Field.

MCC got one of the more impressive pitching performances of the season in Game One to defeat Northeast Mississippi by a final score of 8-3. Sophomore Bryant Johnston pitched 7 2/3 innings of relief and collected eight strikeouts in the appearance from the bullpen.

MCC also did a solid job at the plate by notching 10 hits as a team, while Northeast Mississippi finished with eight hits. Matt Berler led the charge with a pair of base hits and two RBI’s, while Dustin Smith drove in three runs in the Game One win. Michael Druhan and Jaylon Keys each added two base hits apiece, while three other players in the Meridian lineup each added one hit apiece. Goose Yates, Andrew Crook, and Dalton Thomas checked in with one hit apiece in Game One.

MCC secured the sweep in Game Two by rolling past Northeast Mississippi by a final count of 8-1. Former Neshoba Central star Austin Harrison notched the win on the mound for the Eagles by pitching a complete game and collecting six strikeouts.

MCC had another great game at the plate as a team by banging out 14 hits, while Northeast Mississippi finished with seven. Goose Yates led the way in Game Two by going 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI’s, while former West Lauderdale star Daniel Hill also had three hits in the victory. Michael Druhan, Andrew Crook, and Dustin Smith each finished the game with two hits apiece.

The MCC pitching staff was the highlight in the doubleheader sweep by collecting 14 strikeouts as a staff and allowing no walks.

MCC Track Ranked 15th and 24th In First Outdoor Poll

From School Reports

Meridian, MS – Following a successful trip to the Alabama Relays this past weekend and a successful indoor campaign, MCC’s track team is ranked 15^th on the men’s side and 24^th on the women’s side in the first USTFCCCA (U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) national rankings of the outdoor season.

MCC’s men’s team which finished the indoor season ranked 13^th,  was led by their sprinters and jumpers, with all of their points in the rankings coming from the sprints and jumps in the first weeks rankings.  Leading the way in points was both Cravorkian Carson, Chris Lewis and Kendrick Smith who all totaled 15 or more points in the latest poll for MCC.

On the women’s side, MCC saw their women’s team make their first appearance of the year in the national rankings.  The Lady Eagles saw the way led by Jocindra Glee who posted a NJCAA National Qualifying Time in the 400 hurdles Friday evening.

MCC will compete next at the MC Twilight hosted by Mississippi College on April 3.

MCC Golf Captures Tournament Title

From School Reports

CHOCTAW, MS- The Meridian Community College golf team had one of its most successful days in program history by capturing the tournament title at the MACJC Event No. 3 which was held at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club. The Eagles won the tournament championship by an astonishing 25 strokes to cruise to its first tournament championship of the spring season.

Connor Cavin and Luther Thompson, II led the way as both shot two over for the tournament to tie for third overall and make the All-Tournament Team. Clayton Gray finished 6th overall at four over par for the two rounds.

Austin Terrell and Grant Renegar shot 9 over and 15 over respectively. Ty Medling playing as an individual and shot 14 over for the tournament. All six MCC golfers finished in the top 25 of the 10 team tournament.

The Eagles shot 294 and 299 for a total of 593 for the tournament. They shot the low team score each day. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College came in second with a total of 618 and Co-lin came in third at 620. 

The Eagles play next at the Arkansas State University Red Wolf Classic where they will be the only community college playing in a field of all NCAA Division One universities.