Hannah Lee and Kasie Buckley belted two home runs apiece in leading East Central Community College’s softball squad to a 16-0 blowout of Hinds Community College in the first game, and the Lady Diamond Warriors rallied for a 9-4 victory in the second contest to complete a sweep of their MACJC South Division opponent Tuesday, April 20 on the Raymond campus.

With the wins, East Central improved to 35-8-1 overall and 13-7 in league play. The Lady Diamond Warriors currently share second-place honors in the division with Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Gulf Coast – ECCC’s opponent Friday, April 23 in Perkinston - sits atop the South at 14-6. EC dropped a twin bill to the Bulldogs (7-2, 10-1) on April 1 in Decatur. Pearl River is fourth at 12-10. The top four teams in the South and North divisions advance to the MACJC State Tournament, scheduled Thursday-Friday, April 29-30 at Itawamba Community College in Fulton.

Lee, a former Leake Academy standout from Philadelphia, blasted a two-run homer in the first inning and added a grand slam in the sixth. She also contributed a single and finished the game with six RBIs. She currently leads the team in homers with 11 and is the top run producer with 47 RBIs.

Buckley, who had a stellar career at Newton County High School, began the scoring onslaught with her three-run blast. She added a two-run shot in the sixth inning. She also had a single and finished with five RBIs. Buckley currently has 10 home runs on the season.

Other sluggers in the 17-hit attack included Hailey Chisolm of Neshoba Central, triple, two singles and four RBIs; Lauren Nicholas, also of Neshoba Central, three singles; Morgan Malone of Madison Central, double and single; Summer Alexander of Newton County, double; and Brittany Cochran of Newton County and Taylor Bailey, a product of Bowie High School in Austin, Texas, singles each. 

Bailey was also the winning pitcher and improved to 15-6 on the season. The freshman right-hander hurled four scoreless innings and allowed four hits. She fanned one batter. Malone pitched the final inning and allowed one hit.

In the second contest, EC rallied from a 3-0, first-inning deficit by scoring six runs in the second frame and holding on for the win.

Nicholas and Page Holsen of Union had two hits each to lead the offense. Holsen was also credited with an RBI. Other hitters included Buckley, double; and Alexander, Chisolm, Lee, Malone, Bailey and Shelby Smith of Union, singles each. Bailey also knocked in two runs. Collecting an RBI each were Alexander, Chisolm, Buckley, Malone and Smith.

Bailey picked up the win in relief and improved to 16-6. She allowed one run on five hits through four innings. Buckley was the starter and allowed three runs on six hits through three innings.

East Central’s key division battle with Gulf Coast begins at 4 p.m. Friday on the Perkinston campus. Two seven-inning games are scheduled.

 The Lady Diamond Warriors close out the regular season by challenging Southwest Mississippi Community College Monday, April 26. Doubleheader action begins at 3 p.m. on the Decatur campus.

EC’s softball squad is led by head coach Scott Hill and assistant Kristin Chaney.