MCC Baseball Advances to the MACJC State Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team had to fight to the final out on Saturday night to punch its ticket to the 2016 MACJC State Tournament. MCC fought back from a 4-0 deficit in Game Three of its three-game series against Itawamba to escape with a 7-5 victory. The series was forced to a third game after the Indians defeated MCC in Game Two by a final score of 12-5. The Eagles did most of its damage in the bottom of the sixth inning with six runs and added its final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh.

MCC improved to 39-10 overall with the series win, while Itawamba closed out the 2016 season with an overall mark of 27-20. MCC now advances to the 2016 MACJC State Tournament which will be played at Jones County Junior College on May 12-14. The top three teams that finish at the State Tournament will move on to play in the Region 23 Tournament on May 19-22. The teams that will take part in the 2016 MACJC State Tournament include: Jones, Meridian, East Central, and Northwest. The bracket and starting times of all of the first round games of the State Tournament to be played in Ellisville have yet to be released.

The Eagles clinched the series victory over ICC on Saturday night, but not without a great deal of drama in the top of the ninth inning of Game Three. MCC carried a 7-5 lead into the final frame and the Indians were able to load the bases with no outs against MCC freshman reliever Spencer Price. The Eagles recorded one out on a strikeout and then the final two outs were recorded on a double play turned by MCC first baseman Luke Craig. Itawamba first baseman Ty Wheeler jumped on the first pitch he saw from Price, but laced it right into the glove of Craig at first base. Craig stepped on the bag just a couple of seconds later to complete the double play and send the Eagles to the win.

Craig also had a great night at the plate in Game Three for the Eagles with a two-run double, while Matt Berler drove in two runs on three singles. Eason Weeks added an RBI on a double and Jaylon Keys picked up an RBI on a single in the victory. Sophomore Austin Harrison picked up the victory for MCC by pitching six tough innings, while Spencer Price earned the hard fought three-inning save.

Jaylon Keys and Blake Fields led MCC at the plate in Game Two in which Itawamba won by a final count of 12-5. Keys had four base hits in the Game Two loss and was a double shy of hitting for the cycle. Fields smashed a solo homer in the setback, while Nate Romans had an RBI base hit.