By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
Feb. 25, 2002
Jones Junior College flashed the leather and came through with a pair of big two-out rallies to whip East Mississippi Community College 10-2 here on Sunday in the final day of the Rush Classic at Meridian Community College's Scaggs Field.
The Bobcats, 3-4, snapped a 1-1 tie by scoring seven runs over three middle innings, all coming with two out. The other key factor was a defense that turned three double plays behind winning pitcher Mario Laphand of Quitman, who tossed a complete game.
Bobcat coach Bobby Glaze was glad to see the overall team effort. Jones finished 2-1 in the four-team round robin to grab a share of the Rush Classic which featured all four of the area's junior college baseball programs.
Lions coach Bill Baldner, whose team lost two straight after beating Meridian in Friday's opener. said his team needs more consistency.
Jones snapped a 1-1 tie with its first two-out rally in the fifth scoring three runs. Josh Sullivan started the rally with a solo home run off East Mississippi starter Lee Boyd making it 2-1.
Scott Robertson followed with a double, Wyn Spencer walked and Michael McCraney hit a floater that got in between three Lion defenders in shallow left. The hit scored Robertson for a 3-1 edge.
It went to 4-1 when an inning-ending liner was dropped at short allowing Spencer to score the unearned run.
Jones added a fifth run in the sixth, again with two out. Sullivan scored on a single by Spencer.
The Lions appeared to have something going in the seventh but the Bobcats displayed some fine infield glovework. A diving stab and throw by third baseman Robert White nabbed the Lions' J.D. Harbour who was trying to go to second following a lead-off hit.
The Lions got the bases loaded when Ashley Chism walked and Chad Carlson singled. Laphand, however, induced his second key double-play ball of the game. Sullivan, at short, and Craig Bush turned the play.
The Bobcats then finished it off in their half of the seventh with another two-out rally off Boyd. Bush cranked a three-run homer to account for all three runs to make it 8-1. They added two more in the eighth when Scott Robertson doubled and scored and Spencer walked and scored.
East Mississippi struck first in the fourth inning when Josh Snider singled, stole second and then went to third on single to right by Harbour. Laphand, however, got his first double-play ball limiting the Lions to just Snider's run.
Jones got the run back in its half of the fourth. Spencer walked, went to third on a double by White and then scored on a grounder by Matt McAlpin.
Robertson finished with three hits and two runs scored to lead Jones. White and Sullivan each had two hits and Bush drove in three.
East was led by Snider's two hits.