MCC Golfers Nominated for Jack Nicklaus Award

From School Reports

The semifinalists for the 2016 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award have been announced and two members of the MCC golf team are among the semifinalists. Grant Renegar and Lance Strickland of MCC were among 30 players from around the country that were named semifinalists for the prestigious award. The finalists for the award will be announced on May 11 and the award will be presented on June 2  by Jack Nicklaus at a ceremony during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance at Muirfield Village Country Club.

In addition to receiving the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award, the recipient will compete in the Barbasol Shootout for an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship, held July 14-17, at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National in Opelika, Alabama. The Barbasol Shootout will be held Saturday, June 4 at the storied Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio – the same club where Jack Nicklaus learned the game of golf as a young boy.

Renegar and Strickland will also participate for MCC in the NJCAA National Tournament next month in Plymouth, Indiana. The Eagles are fresh off a second place finish in the 2016 Region 23 Tournament earlier this week in Senatobia.

MCC Golf Advances to National Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College golf team closed out the 2016 season with a lot of heartbreak on Tuesday at the 2016 Region 23 Tournament in Senatobia, MS. The Eagles battled back in the final round of play to tie Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and force sudden death. The Bulldogs were able to get the best of MCC in the sudden death playoff and defeat MCC by two strokes to claim the Region 23 Championship.

The news was not all bad for the Eagles because four players from the squad did qualify for the 2016 NJCAA Division II National Tournament to be played next month in Plymouth, Indiana. Lance Strickland, Grant Renegar, Camden Backel, and Clayton Gray all qualified for the National Tournament to represent Meridian Community College due to best scoring average through the season, and best scoring average during the Region 23 Tournament.

Strickland was named a member of the All-Region Team for the Eagles after finishing tied for second with a final round score of 73, while Backel also tied for second in the field with a final round score of 72 to land on the All-Region Team. Gray finished in sixth place for the Eagles after firing a final round of 73, while Renegar finished tied for 14^th with a final round of 75.

MCC Baseball Sweeps Past Coahoma

From School Reports

The eighth ranked Meridian Community College Eagles returned to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon to close out its current eight-game home stand by playing host to Coahoma Community College at Scaggs Field. The Eagles cruised past the Tigers in impressive fashion by final scores of 13-3 and 10-0 to pick up a pair of MACJC victories. MCC improved to 34-8 overall and 17-7 in conference action with the sweep on Tuesday against CCC, and also extended its current winning streak to seven games. MCC will return to action on Saturday with a road trip to Northwest Mississippi Community College for another pair of conference games beginning at 2 p.m.

MCC banged out 16 hits and rolled to a 13-3 victory in Game One over Coahoma in a game that was halted by the ten-run rule in the seventh inning. Baylor Obert led the charge in Game One for MCC by driving in five runs and two of those came on a homer. Jaylon Keys collected a pair of hits and one RBI, while Nate Romans scored three runs in the victory. Luke Craig also had a solo homer in the game for the Eagles and Eason Weeks picked up a pair of singles.

Kyle Bayles notched the pitching win on the mound in Game One for MCC by working seven innings, scattering six hits, allowing two earned runs, and collecting five strikeouts. Bayles also helped his own cause at the plate with a pair of hits and one RBI in the Game One victory over the Tigers.

MCC continued to roll in Game Two and walked away with a 10-0 victory over Coahoma in game that was also halted by the ten-run rule in the fifth inning. Sophomore Hunter Mullis earned the pitching win in Game Two by tossing five scoreless innings and collecting six strikeouts.

Eason Weeks and Jaylon Keys each had three hits apiece in the Game Two win, while Nate Romans drove in three runs for the Eagles. Baylor Obert and Luke Craig each added an RBI double, while Kyle Bayles had an RBI single in Game Two.

MCC Tennis Sweeps MACJC/Region 23 Championships

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College tennis program finished play in the 2016 MACJC/Region 23Tournament on Saturday which was hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The MCC men and women both had solid weekends in the postseason event as both squads qualified for the 2016 NJCAA National Tournament.

The MCC women and men both captured the overall team championships in the event to make it a clean sweep for the green and white. The MCC men grabbed the top overall spot as a team, while Mississippi Gulf Coast placed second. Jones County Junior College finished in second place behind the Lady Eagles in the final standings. The MCC women edged out the Lady Bobcats by one point to grab the top prize in the tournament. The MCC men won the tournament championship by six points over Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Jason Pimenta led the charge in the finals for the Eagles by winning the number one singles title by defeating Mateusz Kimelski (Co-Lin), 6-1, 6-4. Samuel Butler also claimed the number four singles tournament title by defeating Taylor Tamburg (JCJC), 6-1, 6-2. Will Irvin also closed out the number five singles title by defeating Taylor Tamburg (JCJC) 6-1, 6-2.

The duo of Jason Pimenta/Breno Goncalves of MCC also captured the number one doubles title by defeating Taquel Lewis/Diego Leal (JCJC), 6-2, 4-6, 6-0.

The MCC women also had a great day on the court as Kyra Holway defeated Claire Rounsaville (JCJC), 7-5, 3-2 (ret.) to claim the number three singles title. Jordyn Hull also claimed the number five singles championship by defeating Sophia Slusasz (Hinds), 6-4, 6-4. Taylor Miller won the final singles title of the weekend for MCC by defeating Breanna Waller (JCJC), 6-0, 6-0 to notch the number six singles championship.

The MCC women also claimed a pair of doubles championships as Jordyn Hull/Alden Hartley won the number two double title, while Taylor Miller/Jami Lynn Daughtery won the number three doubles title.

The MCC women will play in the NJCAA Women's National Tournament, to be held May 7-13 at Tyler, Texas, while the MCC men will play in the NJCAA Men's National Tournament, to be held May 16-20 at Plano, Texas.

MCC Baseball Sweeps Past Gulf Coast

From School Reports

The 8th ranked Meridian Community College Eagles returned to Scaggs Field on Saturday afternoon with a pair of conference games against Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Eagles got a pair of solid pitching performances to sweep past the Bulldogs by final scores of 2-1 and 2-0.

MCC improved to 32-8 overall for the season with the sweep on Saturday and also improved its conference record for the 2016 season to 15-7. MCC will close out its current eight-game home stand on Wednesday by playing host to Coahoma Community College in a doubleheader at Scaggs Field beginning at 2 p.m.

The Eagles collected a pair of key two-out base hits in Game One to slip past Mississippi Gulf Coast on Saturday by a final of 2-1. Freshman Blake Fields drove in one run on a two-out base hit in the second inning and Baylor Obert drove in the only other run for the Eagles with a two-out single in the seventh inning. Sophomore Austin Harrison drew the start on the mound for the Eagles in Game One and pitched 6 1/3 innings and collected seven strikeouts. Freshman Spencer Price picked up the pitching win for the Eagles out of the bullpen by working the final 2 2/3 innings and notching three strikeouts.

MCC finished Game One with seven total hits as Eason Weeks and Luke Craig each finished the game with two singles apiece.

Former West Lauderdale star Ryan Lane completed the sweep in Game Two as MCC defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast 2-0. Lane pitched a complete game shutout in Game Two, allowed three hits, no walks, and had nine strikeouts.

Kyle Bayles and Blake Fields each had an RBI base hit in the Game Two victory for the Eagles, while Nate Romans scored one run. Baylor Obert and Chase Coker each had a single, while Luke Craig picked up a single in the win.