By By Austin Bishop/EMG regional sports director
Feb. 27, 2002
East Central Community College head women's fast-pitch softball coach Mike Anderson was all smiles Tuesday night at the Northeast Softball Complex.
While his Lady Warriors had just dropped a 10-2 run-rule decision to host Meridian Community College, it was what happened a couple of hours earlier that pleased Anderson.
East Central scored three runs in the top of the last inning to take a 6-2 win over MCC, ranked No. 19 in the country by the NJCAA.
ECCC 6
MCC 2
The win was the fifth straight to open the season for the Lady Warriors, who swept East Mississippi Community College and Holmes Community College to open the season.
East Central used a two-run single by Anna Moore to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first and upped it to 3-0 with a single run in the third, before the Lady Eagles scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to cut it to 3-2.
Moore's RBI single in the top of the seventh, was followed by a two-run double off he bat of Bernice Hannah to put the winners up by four runs.
Moore, Sommer Averett and Emily Casey had two singles each for ECCC, while Stephanie Dixon had two doubles for MCC and Layla Brewer had two singles.
Anderson said he was very pleased with the growth of his program.
MCC coach Robert Eakins said East Central took control in the opener.
MCC 10
ECCC 2
After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first, Meridian scored four times in the second and four more in the fourth on the way to the run-rule win.
The Lady Warriors were limited to three singles in the second game, while the Lady Eagles took advantage of several ECCC errors.
Sonya Booker ripped a single and double to lead Meridian, while Ann McLean had two singles.
Anderson said it was the errors that hurt ECCC in the nightcap.
East Central returns to action on Thursday when the Lady Warriors visit Mississippi Delta Community College, while Meridian Community College (8-6) visits Pensacola Junior College on Thursday.