By By Tony Krausz/assistant sports editor
May 10, 2003
Sam Self's first hit of the sixth game at the Region 23 Baseball Tournament may be the biggest hit any Meridian Community College player will connect on over the four-days.
The Eagles center fielder broke a two-run tie in the bottom of the seventh inning with a one-run triple down the right-field line Thursday at Scaggs Field.
MCC (33-14) went on to defeat the Delgado Community College Dolphins 6-2 to advance in the winner's bracket of the four-day tourney.
Self's triple gave the Eagles a 3-2 edge with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
MCC right fielder Brad McKee followed the go-ahead hit with another run-producing stroke.
The 6-foot-1 outfielder knocked a double into shallow right field that Dolphins right fielder Ryan Spencer couldn't corral with a diving attempt.
McKee's bloop two bagger allowed Self to score giving the Eagles a two-run cushion, which was all MCC starting pitcher Chris Rayborn needed to notch the victory.
The freshman hurler pieced together eight scoreless innings, after allowing two runs in the first.
Rayborn (9-2) finished the game with six strike outs and two walks in the complete-game win.
Delgado took an early lead, as the pitcher from Natchez struggled in the opening inning.
Gary Duhe and Randy Roth, who both went 2-for-4 in the loss, knocked back-to-back single to start the contest.
Rayborn allowed the first runner to cross the plate on a wild pitch that allowed Duhe to score, and Roth later came home on a single from Delgado third baseman Chase Dardar.
The Eagles got the runs back for their pitcher in impressive fashion.
MCC's first two hits of the game of Roth, who took the loss on the mound for Delgado allowing four runs on five hit in seven innings, cleared the outfield wall for home runs.
Eagles designated hitter Aaron George started the round-trip parade with a solo shot over the left-field wall for his 11th homer of the year. The blast cut the Dolphins' lead to 2-1.
MCC left fielder Josh Morgan tied the game at two with a home run over the left-center field wall. The solo shot was the Alabama native's 13th of the year.
Along with the game-tying home run, Morgan kept the game under control with a big play in left field.
The 6-foot-2 freshman threw out Roth at second base, as the pitcher tried to stretch a lead-off single into a double.
MCC closed the game with another solid performance by the infield on a double play.
Rayborn started the game-ending sequence snatching a hopper hit back to the mound.
The pitcher spun and threw a perfect strike to shortstop Brandon Rousseve, and Rousseve ended the game delivering the ball to Ginn to complete the double play.
MCC tacked two runs onto its 4-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning on one hit and two Dolphins errors.
The Eagles take on the Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs in the third round of the Region 23 tourney at 4 p.m. today.