MCC Baseball Splits Rush Tournament Set

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team concluded play in the 2017 Rush Invitational Tournament by hosting NJCAA Division I powerhouse Jefferson College out of Missouri on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles came away with a doubleheader split against the Vikings by falling in Game One by a final count of 8-3 and bouncing back to take Game Two by a final of 2-1. MCC moved its overall record to 5-1 overall for the 2017 season, while Jefferson College is now 4-4 overall after the split. MCC will return to action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Scaggs Field against Shelton State Community College out of Tuscaloosa. The doubleheader is set for a first pitch on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m.

MCC bounced right back after a sluggish performance in Game One to take a thrilling 2-1 decision over the Vikings in the second game of the twin bill. Sophomore JD Gann got the scoring started for the Eagles in the bottom of the second inning on a solo homer to give MCC the early 1-0 lead. Freshman Zack Carter followed with a solo homer of his own moments later over the wall in right field to extend the MCC lead to 2-0. Jefferson College managed to scratch for its only run in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI double by Ryan Fish. The big moment of Game Two came in the top of the sixth inning as MCC was able to work out of a bases loaded jam to hang on to its 2-1 lead heading to the bottom of the frame. Freshman Briar Russell drew the start on the mound for the Eagles and worked five solid innings and handed the ball to Logan McDowell in the sixth inning out of the bullpen. McDowell was able to work out of the bases loaded jam with a strikeout of Hunter Swift to keep the game at 2-1. McDowell worked a scoreless top of the seventh inning to earn his first save of his collegiate career for MCC. Russell also picked up his first collegiate win on the mound for the Eagles and finished with eight strikeouts.

MCC finished Game Two with six total hits and Gann led the way with two, while four different players finished with one hit apiece for the home team. Hunter Stanley, Chase Coker, and Luke Craig each had one single. Carter had the other hit in the game for MCC on his solo homer in the second inning of Game Two.

MCC fell into a 7-0 hole after three innings of Game One against Jefferson College on Sunday and ultimately lost by a final of 8-3. JD Gann, Milton Smith, Chase Coker, Trace Jordan, and Zack Carter each had one single in the loss. Hunter Stanley finished with an RBI and a triple in the five-run defeat in Game One. Sophomore Caleb Yarborough suffered the loss on the mound for the Eagles in Game One by working only two innings.