MCC Tennis Sweeps Past Co-Lin

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College tennis squads swept past Co-Lin Community College on the road Tuesday. Meridian men took a convincing 8-1 decision to move their record to 15-0 on the season.  At the end of the men’s doubles matches, Meridian carried a 2-1 lead.  Meridian’s one doubles team of Jason Pimenta/Breno Goncalves defeated Mateusz Kimelski/Cory Alderman 8-4.  Meridian’s two doubles, Samuel Butler/Walt Harrington won a tough battle against Will Pennington/Hayes Thompson 8-6. 

Meridian’s three doubles, Noah James/John Taylor Champion lost to Braxton Hinton/Drake Nelson 8-3.  Meridian swept the men’s singles early with the 1, 2, and 3 flight picking up wins to seal the team win. Their wins made it 5-1. Pimenta won in straight sets over Kimelski 1, 1. Noah James picked up the win at three singles against Hinton 0, 4.  Breno Goncalves was off the court quickly at two singles with a 0,0 win against Skylar Moody. Meridian’s four Samuel Butler added another win by defeating Hayes Thompson 6-3, 6-3. 

Will Irvin who has one lost this season at number five singles picked up the win against Drake Nelson 7-5, 7-6 (4). Walt Harrington finished out the day with a 4, 4 win over Cory Alderman.  Meridian’s men travel to Oklahoma City, OK March 31-April 3 to compete in an eight-team tournament against some of the best teams in the nation.  Meridian will return home again on April 7 for a match with Marion Military Institute at Northeast Park.

Meridian’s women picked up another win over the Copiah Lincoln Wolves by a 9-0 score. The women are now 14-2 on the season and 10-1 in MACJC conference play.  Meridian swept the doubles.  Gibson/Zachry defeated Brandi Warren/Brandi McInnis 8-3.  At two doubles, Jordyn Hull/Alden Hartley defeated Susanna Ratcliff/Chantel Quarles 8-1; Jami Daugherty/Taylor Miller picked up the win at three doubles with an 8-0 score over Bayli Battle/Julie Kramer.  At number one singles Gibson won 2, 4 against Madison Warren; Shelby Zachry took two singles with a 1, 0 score over Brandi McInnis. 

Meridian’s Jami Daugherty subbing in for injured Kyra Holway defeated Chantel Quarles 2, 3.  Hayden Hill defeated Susanna Ratcliff 0,0 at number four singles.  MCC’s Jordyn Hull picked up the win over Bayli Battle 1, 1. Taylor Miller finished out the day with a 0,0 win over Julie Kramer. Meridian’s women will return to action April 5 with a road trip to play Faulkner State. The Lad Eagles return home April 7 to play Marion Military at Northeast Park.  

MCC Baseball Splits Road Set at Northeast Mississippi

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team returned to conference action on Tuesday with a road doubleheader at Northeast Mississippi Community College. The Eagles came away with a split against the Tigers by winning Game One by a final of 12-10 and falling in Game Two by a final count of 7-3.

MCC is now 22-4 overall and 7-3 in conference action after the doubleheader split against Northeast Mississippi. MCC will return to action on Saturday with a road conference doubleheader at Southwest Mississippi Community College beginning at 2 p.m.

MCC rallied from a 9-5 deficit in the top of the ninth inning of Game One with seven runs to take a dramatic 12-10 victory over Northeast Mississippi. Colby Shaw picked up the win out of the bullpen for MCC by working two innings, while Spencer Price earned the save by working the ninth inning and notching one strikeout.

Kyle Bayles led MCC at the plate in Game One with four hits, while Jaylon Keys picked up three hits and one RBI. Matt Berler drove in a pair of runs on a double, while Luke Craig smashed a home run in the victory. Nate Romans also picked up a pair of base hits in the win and one RBI and Blake Fields chipped in with a pair of RBI's on a double.

MCC couldn't complete the sweep in Game Two and fell to Northeast Mississippi by a final score of 7-3. Hunter Mullis suffered the pitching loss for the Eagles in Game Two by working 4 1/3 innings.

Baylor Obert led the effort at the plate in Game Two for the Eagles with two hits, while Dalton Smith and Matt Berler each had a double. Kyle Bayles also had one double and one RBI in the Game Two loss for the Eagles.

MCC Baseball Sweeps Co-Lin to Extend Winning Streak

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team returned to the diamond on Saturday afternoon looking to continue its run of great success in 2016. The Eagles earned a very impressive sweep over Co-Lin Community College by final scores of 12-2 and 11-1 in very brisk conditions on Saturday at Scaggs Field. MCC improved to 19-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play, while pushing its current winning streak to 14 games. MCC will return to action on Tuesday with a road trip to take on Mississippi Delta Community College in another pair of conference games that are set to begin at 1 p.m.

MCC opened up the day by taking a 12-2 victory over Co-Lin in Game One that was shortened by the run-rule in the bottom of the eighth inning. MCC finished the game with 12 total hits, while Co-Lin only managed five hits in the loss. MCC broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with five runs and never looked back in taking the victory over the Wolves. Luke Craig led MCC at the plate in Game One with two hits and one of those came on a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth inning. Nate Romans smashed his first homer of the season that came in the bottom of the sixth inning and also added an RBI double in the victory.

Eason Weeks drove in two runs on a pair of singles, while Baylor Obert had two RBI’s on a pair of singles. Blake Fields also joined the hit parade in Game One on a pair of singles and JD Gann checked in with a double for the Eagles.

Former Neshoba Central star Austin Harrison (4-0) picked up the pitching win by working seven innings and collecting five strikeouts. Sophomore Drew Smith also pitched one inning out of the bullpen for the Eagles and didn’t allow a run.

MCC completed the sweep in Game Two over Co-Lin by a final score of 11-1 and the game was shortened by the run-rule in the fifth inning. MCC continued to swing the bats well in Game Two and finished with 15 hits, while Co-Lin was held to only four hits.

Matt Berler, Kyle Bayles, and Luke Craig each had three hits in the Game One victory for the Eagles. Nate Romans picked up his second home run of the season in Game Two with a solo homer, while Eason Weeks drove in two runs on a pair of doubles. Baylor Obert had two more singles in Game Two and Chase Coker added a single in the sweep.

Former West Lauderdale star Ryan Lane (3-1) picked up the win in Game Two by working four innings and collecting five strikeouts.

MCC Track Begins Outdoor Campaign at Alabama Relays

From School Reports

Meridian, MS - MCC will begin their outdoor season this Friday and Saturday at the Alabama Relays, hosted by The University of Alabama. MCC will look to build on their success from an indoor season that saw the men post a ninth place finish and the women posting an 18th place finish at the NJCAA Indoor National Championships.

“This is a great meet to start the outdoor season for us, from both a competition stand point and a workout stand point,” said Head Coach Chip Gayden.  “We are going to run a few odd events this weekend like the 4x2 and the sprint medley relay, which will be a lot of fun for our team and we hope to come back with a few trophies to go with the one we got last year."

On Friday, MCC will compete in the 4x200 meter relay, 400 meters, 400 meter hurdles, 1500 meter run and the sprint medley relay.  In the 4x200 meters, MCC will look to the group of Chris Lewis, Devarius Turner, Terrance Johnson and Kendrick Smith.  In the 400 meters, MCC will see the NJCAA 200 meter runner up indoors Ashley Henderson compete in the event. In the 400 meter hurdles, MCC will have Kris Butler on the men’s side and 2015 NJCAA qualifier Jocindra Glee.  MCC will have two of their national championship 4x800 meter relay in the 1500 meter run with Tim Hoodlebrink and Rogelio Araiza.  Friday will be  capped off with the sprint medley relay consisting of Cravorkian Carson, Bryson Penton, Marquis Adams and Josh Austin.

On Saturday, MCC will compete in the 4x100 meter relay, long jump, high jump, 800 meter run, and the 4x400 meter relay.  Last season, MCC captured the 4x100 meter relay championship at the Alabama Relays breaking the school record with a time of 39.86 and MCC will look to defend that title Saturday with the same group of Chris Lewis, Cravorkian Carson, Terrance Johnson and Kendrick Smith.

In the long jump, MCC will look to Josh Wilson and NJCAA qualifier K’lan Harris.  In the high jump, MCC will look to school record holder Devontre Young.  MCC will run two men of their 4x800 relay national championship squad in the 800 meters with Josh Austin and Noah Smith.  MCC will wrap up the meet with the 4x400 meter relay.

Live results can be found on Alabama’s website at rolltide.com, and the meet will be streamed live on the the WatchESPN app beginning Friday at 5:00 p.m. and Saturday beginning at 2:00 p.m.

MCC Tennis Continues Winning Streak

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College men’s tennis team moved to 12-0 on the season with a convincing win over Holmes Community College on Wednesday afternoon at the Goodman campus. In doubles action, the number one team of Jason Pimenta/Breno Goncalves defeated Owen Taylor/Nick Robertson 8-2. 

The duo of Walt Harrington/Sam Butler defeated Corey Warren/Matthew Philly 8-2, and at three doubles, Noah James/Joh Taylor Robinson defeated Matthew Dubourg/Fred Johnson 8-2.  In singles action, Pimenta beat Taylor 1,1; Goncalves defeated Robertson 1, 1 as well.  At three singles, Noah James struggled with cramps but pulled out a win over Corey Warrne 3, 5. 

Sam Butler, who played an excellent match won 1, 3. At five and six, Irvin and Harrington won their respective courts 0,0 and 1, 0. In other matches, Reed Kasper/Nathan Hollis defeated Matthew Thornton/Emmanuel Brooks 8-0. Sean Grice and Alex Vaughn won singles matches by defeating their opponents 8-0.  The men will return to action for a home match against Gadsden State on Saturday, March 19 at 1:00 p.m.

The MCC women moved to 13-0 on the season with the win at Holmes. The MCC women played Central Alabama on Monday after spring break to move to 12-0 with a 7-2 victory. 

In the match at Holmes they won 9-0.  In doubles action, Zachry/Gibson defeated Fudge/Graham 8-1; the two doubles, Hartley/Kyra Holway won 8-3, and at three doubles, Taylor Miller/Jami Daugherty won 8-0. 

Meridian women lost just eight games in all six singles matches.  At one, Gibson won 3, 1.  At two, subbing in for Zachry, Jami Daugherty won 0,1.  Kyra Holway took the win at three 1, 0; Hayden Hill won 1, 0 at number four. At five singles, Brittany Allen subbing in for Jordyn Hull, won 0,1.  Taylor Miller finished out the scoring with a 0, 0 win over Savanna Bell. The women return to action on Friday at Northeast Tennis Park when they host a top ten team out of Florida, Eastern Florida. The matches will begin at 11:00 foregoing any rain at that time.  If it rains, the match will move to a later time in the afternoon.

MCC Baseball Sweeps Past Hinds

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team opened the 2016 portion of its MACJC schedule on Wednesday afternoon with a doubleheader at Scaggs Field against the defending MACJC State Champions, the Hinds Community College Eagles. MCC made a huge statement to open conference play by sweeping past the visiting Eagles by final scores of 14-4 and 3-1.

MCC is now 17-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, while Hinds dropped to 9-9 overall and 2-2 in conference action. The two victories for MCC over Hinds on Wednesday also extended its current winning streak for the 2016 season to 12 games. MCC will return to the diamond this Saturday with a pair of conference games at Scaggs Field against Co-Lin Community College beginning at 2 p.m.

MCC got the day started off with a huge bang in Game One with a run-rule shortened 14-4 victory over Hinds. MCC finished the game with 16 total hits and held Hinds to just six total hits as a team.

Freshman Luke Criag led MCC at the plate in Game One with three hits and drove in two runs, while Matt Berler had a pair of RBI singles for the Eagles. Baylor Obert also turned in a solid day at the plate by driving in a pair of runs on two base hits and Blake Fields also had an RBI double in the victory. JD Gann and Nate Romans each drove in two runs apiece, while Jaylon Keys collected an RBI on two singles.

Sophomore Hunter Mullis picked up the pitching win in  Game One for MCC by working 5 2/3 innings and notching six strikeouts. Freshman Spencer Price was also credited with a save out of the bullpen and checked in with four strikeouts in his relief performance.

MCC got a great combined pitching performance in Game Two from Kyle Bayles and Ryan Lane to squeeze out a 3-1 victory over Hinds to complete the home sweep. Bayles worked five innings, allowed one earned run, three hits, and collected four strikeouts. Lane, a former West Lauderdale star, picked up the two-inning save for the Eagles and notched three strikeouts.

MCC finished Game Two with seven total hits and Bayles helped his own cause by driving in one run in the game on an RBI single. Luke Craig added an RBI single and Baylor Obert drove in the third run of the game on a double in the sixth inning.