After cruising to an 8-2 victory in the first game with visiting Lurleen B. Wallace Community College Tuesday, East Central’s Diamond Warriors were pounded 14-2 in the nightcap and recorded their first loss of the young campaign following five straight wins.
Freshman second-baseman Donnie Tabb of Neshoba Central led Diamond Warrior sluggers in the first game with three hits and two RBIs. Richie Long, a freshman first baseman from Carthage, added two hits and an RBI.
Single hits were recorded by Andre Yates of Grenada, Charles Hill of Carthage, Vincent Kortbawi, a product of Hale County High School in Moundville, Ala.; Ricardo Velez of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; and Drew Wilson of Newton County. Yates, Kortbawi, Jerrod Myers of Jackson St. Andrews and Ernie Triplett of Louisville were credited with an RBI each.
Runs were scored by Velez (2), Triplett (2), Hill, Long, Wilson and Quin Stokes of Carthage.
Starter Colton Mitchell, a freshman southpaw from Lake, was the winning pitcher. Mitchell allowed one earned run on five hits through five innings of work. He fanned six batters and walked one. Tyler Dalton, a freshman right-hander from Winston Academy, hurled the final two innings without allowing a hit or run. He also fanned three batters and walked one.
In the second game, the visitors from Andalusia, Ala., exploded for nine runs in the second inning and held on for the easy win.
The Diamond Warriors managed just six hits off Saints pitching – two hits by Hill and single hits by Yates, Stokes, Velez and Long. Hill was also credited with an RBI and scored a run. Long also scored.
Tabb took the loss, allowing six earned runs on five hits through one-and-two-thirds innings. He also fanned two batters and walked two.
The Diamond Warriors resume play Friday in first-round action of the ECCC Wilson/Demarini Invitational Tournament scheduled Feb. 19-21 at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex on the Decatur campus. The Diamond Warriors will battle Andrew College at 11 a.m., followed by Andrew College and Wallace State Community College at 2 p.m. and East Central’s matchup with Wallace State at 5 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule includes Andrew College vs. Holmes (10 a.m.), Mississippi Gulf Coast vs. Andrew College (12:45), Holmes vs. Baton Rouge (3:30) and Baton Rouge vs. Gulf Coast (6:00).
Only two games are scheduled Sunday, a doubleheader featuring East Central and Baton Rouge, beginning at 12:30 p.m.