By Staff
HEADING FOR HOME n Meridian Community College left fielder Antion Gray rounds third base after hitting a home run in the third inning of the first game Thursday. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Robby Atkinson/The Meridian Star
April 27, 2001
The Meridian Community College Eagles rebounded from a mild losing streak to sweep the visiting East Mississippi Lions in local junior college baseball action.
The Eagles improved to a overall season record of 33-15. Meridian is scheduled to return to action on the road with a single game against Pearl River. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.
Meridian 8, East Mississippi 5: The visiting Lions jumped on top of the homestanding Eagles early, but Meridian prevailed in the end on several huge home runs. EMCC took the early lead with three runs in the opening inning of action. Todd Harcrow reached on a double to start the offense for the Lions. Jaron Andrews followed with a walk and both runs later scored on a three run home run by Ben Mason to give EMCC a 3-0 advantage.
The Lions used an Eagle error in the following inning to increase their lead by a score of 4-0. Derian Dotson scored for EMCC on an error by MCC shortstop Lance Dawkins to give the visitors a little breathing room.
The Eagles quickly answered with a pair of runs in the second inning. Former Meridian High star Tyler Scarbrough reached base on a single and later crossed the plate on a double by Dawkins to cut into the EMCC lead. Dawkins later scored on a single up the middle by catcher Trave Hopkins to make the score 4-2 after two innings of action.
Meridian tied the contest in the third inning on a huge home run. Travis Garner led the inning off with a single and Antoin Gray then blasted a monstrous two-run home run to knot the game up at 4-4.
The Eagles took the lead for good in the fifth inning with a pair of home runs. Garner lead the fifth frame off with a solo home run, his fourth on the season, to give the Eagles a 5-4 lead. The Eagles kept the offensive spurt rolling with yet two more runs.
Gray reached base on a long double and Scarbrough drove in two runs on a high, deep homer top left field that hugged the foul pole to give Meridian a 7-4 edge.
The Eagles added another run in the sixth and held the lead to take the 8-5 win over the Lions.
Garner went 3-for-3 with a pair of singles and a home run for the Eagles. Dawkins also went 2-for-3 in the victory with a double and single. Alabama signee and ace Martin LaRocca got the pitching win in relief of starter Chord Robinson. LaRocca went three innings in relief and striking out one in route to an 8-2 record on the season for the Eagles. Trey Wall took the tough pitching loss for the visiting Lions.
Meridian 8, East Mississippi 0: The Eagles used five different pitchers to shutout the Lions in the nightcap of the twinbill. The Eagles jumped on top of the Lions in the first inning with a pair of runs. Tee Thomas doubled for the Eagles and later scored on double by Dustin Cliburn to give Meridian the 1-0 lead. Cliburn later crossed the plate on a wild pitch by East Mississippi starting pitcher Bill Cotton to increase the Eagle lead 2-0. The Eagles plated two more runs in the second inning of a mammoth two run home run by former Lamar standout Chris Knight to increase the Meridian lead to 4-0. Josh Raggio followed with a single and stole both second and third for Meridian. Raggio then crept home on an error by East Mississippi first baseman Ben Mason to make the score 5-0.
The Eagles scored several more runs that proved to be enough to take a 8-0 shutout of East Mississippi. Scarbrough went 2for3 in the game with a pair of singles and Knight went 2for2 with a double and the home run. Brian Reed was credited with the victory and improved to 6 -2 on the year for the Eagles.