By By Marty Stamper/staff writer
Feb. 19, 2002
DECATUR For the last four years, the junior college baseball series between East Central and East Mississippi has belonged solely to the Warriors.
The visiting Lions halted that trend Monday afternoon with a 4-3, 8-1 sweep of ECCC.
Lee Boyd (1-1) and Donte Hill (1-1) turned in solid pitching performances for the Lions.
In the opener, the Lions got all four of their runs in the top of the second inning. Second baseman Ashley Chism was hit by a pitch to start the frame. Chad Carlson followed with a single. Matt Minchew laid down a sacrifice bunt and plated two runs when the throw to first base wasn't caught. Ryan Clay added a single in the inning.
The Lions managed only one more hit over the final five frames and that runner was erased on a double play.
The Warriors got one run back in the bottom of the third as Joey Holcomb's Texas Leaguer barely eluded Chism in shallow right field for a one-out double. Josh Chaney drove in the run with a sacrifice fly.
ECCC got solo homers from Chad Loper in the fourth inning and from Jake Nester in the fifth.
The Warriors had the tying run on base with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Clay got William Mars to ground into a game-ending double play to earn his first save.
Jason Wooten took the loss for ECCC despite allowing only four hits. He did not allow a hit over the final four innings.
In the second game, EMCC picked up three unearned runs in the top of the first inning and steadily pulled away from the Warriors to complete the sweep.
Two walks and two errors led to the quick start as ECCC's Brian Spillers lasted only two-thirds of an inning. EMCC's only hit off Spillers was a single by Chism.
The Lions added three more runs in the top of the third with Minchew hitting a two-run double to left-center and Kent Lewis adding an RBI-single.
The Lions added single runs in the fourth and sixth frames.
ECCC's lone run came in the bottom of the seventh as Chad Loper scored on a bases loaded wild pitch.
The Warriors had only four hits with two being singles by catcher Mike Kulbeth.
EMCC had eight hits. Josh Snider had four stolen bases and scored three runs in the second game for the Lions as they improved to 2-3.
ECCC fell to 0-3.
Both teams will play in the Rush Classic at Meridian Community College this weekend along with Jones and the host Eagles.