By By Austin Bishop/EMG regional sports director
Feb. 16, 2002
On a day that saw four teams combine for 35 runs and 45 hits, it was a pitching performance that made the difference for Meridian Community College in the opening round of the Rush Classic on Friday.
With the game tied 6-6 in the top of the fifth, freshman left-hander Tim Jones took the mound and totally dominated the Bulldogs of Clarendon (Texas) College, as the Eagles rallied for a 10-6 win.
In the first game of the day, Volunteer (Tenn.) State used a six-run, three-homer, third inning to take a 12-7 win over Tyler (Texas) Junior College.
Today's action has Clarendon and Tyler facing off at noon, while Volunteer and Meridian play at 3 p.m. at Scaggs Field in the three-day, round-robin tournament.
Jones (1-1) struck out the side in the fifth and then again in the seventh on the way to an eight strikeout night for the Eagles, who moved to 2-4 with the win and stopped a four-game losing skid.
Clarendon had just tied the game with a bases-loaded homer by Michael Pelley, when Federico made the call to Jones in the bullpen.
The Bulldogs had nine hits before Jones came into the game, but managed just one over the five innings that Jones pitched.
Jones said he plan when he took the mound was a simple.
The Eagles regained the lead at 7-6 in the bottom of the inning when Tyler Scarbrough walked and later scored on an errant throw to third following a single by Drew Van Sickle.
MCC took control of the contest in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a two-run double by Adam Smith his third hit of the game and a run-scoring single by Brent Towne to go up 10-6.
The Eagles swung the bats well, banging out 14 hits off two Clarendon pitchers.
MCC used a two-run homer by Scarbrough in the first and a three-run shot to center by Nate Sanders in the second to build a 5-2 lead.
It was stretched out to 6-2 in the fourth when catcher Chad Bradley walked with two outs, courtesy runner Wes Shows stole second and Brad McKee drove him in with a single to left.
The Bulldogs mounted the comeback in the fifth thanks to a double, walk, error and homer.
Scarbrough had a homer, double and single and scored three runs for the Eagles, while Smith had a double and two singles and Sanders had a homer and double. McKee and Brian Page added two singles each.
Pelley belted two homers to go with a single for the Bulldogs, while Victor Rodriguez had a double and two singles.
Volunteer 12
Tyler 7
After falling behind 3-0, the Pioneers of Volunteer State, now 1-3 on the year, took their first win of the season by outscoring Tyler 12-4 the rest of the way.
Brad Meeks, Ryan Berryman and Andy Howdeshell belted homers in the third inning to pace the Pioneers, while Mike Wadowski belted a round-tripper later in the game.
Steve Delabar picked up the win on the mound for Volunteer. Tyler fell to 5-7 on the year, losing its fifth straight game.