February 26, 2022
The East Central Community College Warriors hosted another round-robin three-way at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex on Saturday, February 26, as the team took on Lake Land College and Baton Rouge Community College. The Warriors came into the day with a 6-2 record after losing a pair of games last week in the Rush Invitational. The Warriors took the first game of the day with a quick 11-1 run-rule over Lake Land College out of Illinois. The Baton Rouge Bears and Lake Land faced off in the midday game with Baton Rouge blanking the Lakers, 10-0, before the Warriors and Bears played in the nightcap. ECCC took that game with five runs over the last two frames to improve to 8-2 on the young season.
Game One vs Lake Land | W, 11-1 (run-rule)
ECCC's Grant Edwards' five-inning, abbreviated complete-game outing was the story of the first game as the freshman led the Warriors to an 11-1 run-rule win. He surrendered just one run on four hits over five innings, striking out eight.
At the plate, the Warriors were able to manufacture runs despite not having the hottest bats. An RBI single put Lake Land on top in the first, but a sac fly from J.T. Vance and error put ECCC on top, 2-1.
An RBI single from Clayton Cook grew the lead to 3-1, before an error in the third allowed another two runs to score. Jalen Ayers drove in another in the third on an RBI ground out to make it 6-1.
Eli Collins blasted a double off the wall to add another pair of runs in the fourth and a sac fly from Conner Hicks scored another. The Warriors won the game in the bottom of the fifth with Trey Lewis being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and a walk-off, RBI single from Collins.
Collins and Cook finished with multiple hits, while Collins' three RBIs were a team-high.
Game Two vs BRCC | W, 8-2
The Warriors and Baton Rouge squared off with the Bears after BRCC run-ruled Lake Land 10-0 in the afternoon game.
ECCC was first to strike as Collins ripped an RBI single in the bottom of the first to plate Trey Lewis who singled earlier in the frame. That lead grew to 3-0 in the third as an error plated Cook and Vance pushed in another with an RBI single.
The next three innings turned into a pitcher's duel as Mason Willis fanned numerous Bears.
In the seventh, the Bears plated a couple on a fielder's choice and single, but ECCC was right back at it in the bottom as Leighton Jenkins led the inning off being hit by a pitch. Lewis drove him in with a line drive to center and eventually scored on an RBI single from Vance to put ECCC on top, 5-2.
A ground out RBI from Jenkins, a passed ball, and an RBI single from Cook put the Warriors on top 8-2 in the bottom of the eighth and gave the ECCC defense some breathing room heading into the final frame of the night.
The Warrior pitching was stellar in the nightcap as Willis and Miles Miller paired up for eight innings pitched. Willis got the win as he surrendered two runs on five hits over six and a third innings striking out eight and walking one. Miller fanned three batters through one and two-thirds innings, while Ervin Simmons closed out the game in the ninth with three straight flyouts.
Cook, Lewis, Vance, and Kade Turnage all had two hits in the game, with Vance driving in a team-best two runs in the contest.
Up Next
The Warriors are on the road next Wednesday, March 2, for a midweek contest with the Southwest Bears in Summit. The first pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3 p.m.
