By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
April 18, 2001
DECATUR Time is running out on the playoff hopes for the East Central Community College baseball team.
The Warriors split a South Division doubleheader with Copiah-Lincoln Tuesday, with ECCC winning the opener 6-5 before falling 5-3 in the nightcap.
ECCC went to 7-13 in the division and 15-21 overall, while Co-Lin moved to 12-8 and 25-15.
In the opener, the Warriors scored twice in the bottom of the sixth for the win. Dustin McGee reached on a throwing error and pinch runner Justin Reed scored on a single to right field by Shawn Soulier.
An error on Turk Stovall's grounder scored Dee Hornesburger with the game-winning run.
Monte Migliacio (3-4) got the complete-game win, allowing six hits.
Lewis Bradford had two singles out of EC's five hits. Kent Chamblee had two RBIs.
In the second game, the Warriors had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Doug Atkins got Mario Migliacio to hit into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Corey Amis (1-6) took the loss.
The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth as Bradford led off with a single.
He stole second and went to third on a throwing error by the Co-Lin catcher. Chamblee hit an RBI-single to left field and scored on Monte Migliacio's double to the gap in right-center.
The Wolves then got four runs in the top of the fifth. Kyle Beall had an RBI-triple and tied the game when he scored on a double by Brandon Atkins. Atkins scored on a passed ball to put Co-Lin up 3-2.
Before the inning was over, Britt Hederman was hit by a pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Brett Duncan.
The Warriors had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but a sliding catch in right field robbed Bradford of a hit and Co-Lin starter Derek Atkins got Stovall to ground out to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Co-Lin added an insurance run on consecutive two-out doubles by Matt Lea and Arlandus Brown.
In the bottom of the sixth, ECCC again had two runners on with one out, but McGee flew out and Hornesburger struck out to end the threat.
In the seventh, Doug Atkins retired the first two batters before Bradford and Stovall hit back-to-back singles.
A walk to Chamblee loaded the bases and another walk to Monte Migliacio forced in a run to pull the Warriors to within 5-3.
The Warriors return to action today with a doubleheader at Northwest Mississippi.
ECCC hosts Southwest in division action at 1 p.m., on Saturday before traveling to Scooba to face East Mississippi on Sunday for a 2 p.m. contest.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.