It’s on to the “Final Four” of the MACJC State Baseball Tournament for the East Central Community College baseball team, which rallied to take a best-of-three series from Holmes Community College in first-round action of the 2010 playoffs held on the Goodman campus.

The Diamond Warriors, who improved to 36-15 following a sweep of Holmes (9-1, 8-4) Saturday afternoon, will battle host Jones County (38-10) at 6 p.m. Thursday to begin the three-day, double-elimination event being held at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson. The early game features Pearl River (25-25) and Hinds (27-19) in a 3 p.m. contest. 

Competition continues Friday and concludes with the championship game set for 1 p.m. at Smith-Wills. 

East Central and Holmes began their series Friday with the host Bulldogs claiming a 14-13 victory after rallying for four runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Richie Long of Carthage belted two home runs and Blake Lawson of Biloxi homered and doubled to pace the EC offense. Ernie Triplett was credited with a double.

Southpaw Bobby Bryan of Crossett, Ark., took the loss for EC on the mound. 

In the first win (9-1) over Holmes Saturday, Long and Quin Stokes of Carthage led the offense with two hits each. 

Right-hander Barry Meeks picked up the win in impressive style, as he fanned 14 batters through seven innings. He allowed five hits. Meeks is a product of Patrician Academy in Sweetwater, Ala.

Leading the EC offensive attack in the second victory (8-4) were Vincent Kortbawi, of Hale County High School in Moundville, Ala., and Darmaal Moore of Stone County. Kortbawi belted a double and single and Moore had two hits.

Lefty Pervis Mann of Carthage got the victory, allowing four hits in six innings. He also fanned seven batters.

The Diamond Warriors are led by head coach Neal Holliman and assistants Michael Avalon and Hunter Vick.