By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
April 2, 2004
SCOOBA East Mississippi Community College's baseball doubleheader with Hinds Community College was delayed by one day because of bus trouble for the visiting Eagles.
After Thursday's results at Gerald Poole Field, the Lions may have wanted to delay the Central Division matchup another day.
EMCC (8-21, 1-3 Central) lost both games to Hinds (10-15, 5-1 Central) 6-4 and 8-3.
The Lions held their only lead of the day in the opening game of the doubleheader.
EMCC drove in four runs on three hits and a pair of errors by Hinds to take a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning.
With EMCC trailing 3-0, Lions shortstop David Nanney led off the fourth reaching on an error, and catcher Justin Faulkner followed with a single to left.
After designated hitter Rod Williams drew a walk to load the bases, left fielder Brandon Mabry hit an RBI single to right field to plate Nanney, and Faulkner scored after Dusty Snider reached on an error to cut Hinds' lead to 3-2.
First baseman Lance Burnham drove in the next run with a single to center field, and Mabry crossed the plate after Trey Barney hit into a double play to give the Lions a one-run lead.
The Lions lead was short lived, as the Eagles tallied a run in the top of the fifth to tie the game at four.
Hinds left fielder Chase Dorsey led off the fifth with a triple to center field, and he scored on the ensuing ground out by Wes Burleson.
The Eagles retook the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Jeremy Ferguson to score Lucas Sandroni, who led off the inning with a double, to go up 5-4. Ferguson scored on an error two batters to produce Hinds' margin of victory in the opener.
Ferguson went 3-for-3 for the Eagles, including a three-run home run in the top of the fourth to give Hinds a 3-0 lead.
Andrew Pylate took the loss for EMCC, allowing six runs, five earned, on six hits with three strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.
Justin Vandevender recorded the win for the Eagles, coming on in relief in the fourth inning. He gave up one hit and walked one in 2 1/3 innings. Josh Jordan recorded the save for Hinds.
Hinds 8
EMCC 3
The nightcap unraveled for EMCC in the top of the seventh inning.
The Lions entered the final inning trailing 4-2, but the Eagles pounded out three doubles and scored on two wild pitches to put the game away.
Hinds second baseman Raphael Ward led off the seventh with a double to center field. The Eagles second baseman never broke stride rounding first as the ball rolled to the outfield and slid in safely at second.
Sandroni drove Ward in with a double to right-center field, and Sandroni scored on a wild pitch to take a 6-2 lead.
Chris Posey drove in the Eagles' seventh run of the game with a double to right field to score David McGhee, who reached on a walk, and Posey scored on another wild pitch for the final run of the contest.
Hinds tallied a pair of runs in the third inning off an RBI double by Ward and an RBI triple from Anthony McLin. The Eagles took a 4-0 lead in the fourth off a two-run single from Dorsey, who went 4-for-4 in the nightcap.
EMCC cut its deficit to 4-2 in the fifth with an RBI double from Blake Pippin and an RBI single by Faulkner.
Nanney scored the Lions' final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh, reaching home on an error off a hit by Mabry.
Jonathan Russell took the loss for EMCC, giving up five runs, three earned, on seven hits with five strikeouts in six innings.
Brian Barlow recorded the win for Hinds giving up two runs on eight hits with one strikeout in 5 2/3 innings.
EMCC returns to action on Saturday in a doubleheader against East Central Community College.