February 27, 2017
Brittney McCray
A two-out, bottom of the ninth three-run home run by Brittney McCray gave the East Central Community College Lady Warriors a dramatic 8-6 come from behind win over the upset-minded Coastal Alabama-Brewton Lady Warhawks in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Softball Park in Decatur.
East Central won the opening game of the doubleheader in a run-rule 9-1 contest.
The No. 12 ranked Lady Diamond Warriors improved to a perfect 12-0 on the season with the sweep.
Staying among the undefeated teams was not easy in the nightcap.
McCray, a sophomore first baseman from Sumrall, doubled in a run in the bottom of the first to give East Central an early 1-0 lead. Coastal Alabama tied it in the top of the third, before the Lady Warriors went back up 3-1 in the bottom of the third on a double by freshman third baseman Madalyn McMahon from Neshoba Central and a sacrifice bunt by freshman shortstop Kayla Beckham, also from Neshoba Central.
Coastal Alabama picked up a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth to take a 5-3 lead. East Central tied it in the bottom of the fifth on another McCray RBI and a Lady Warhawk error.
The score remained tied 5-5 until the top of the ninth. To speed up extra-inning games, each team’s first batter of an inning is placed on second base. Coastal Alabama was able to push across a run in the top of the ninth on an East Central error to lead 6-5.
In the bottom of the frame, East Central’s Latesia Davis from Newton County High School was placed on second and McMahon walked. Former Nanih Waiya standout Marlee Parkes’ sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. Davis was then thrown out at home trying to score on a fielder’s choice bunt by Beckham
With two runners still on base but two outs, McCray calmly stepped to the plate and blasted the first pitch over the left field wall to give East Central the 8-6 win. McCray finished the game 3-5 at the plate with five RBI.
In the game one win, East Central was never threatened as the Lady Warriors scored a single run in the first inning and then two each in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings for the run-rule 9-1 win. Davis and McMahon each managed two hits for East Central. McMahon doubled and had a two-run home run.
Freshman Kaitlyn Oswalt out of Heritage Academy in Columbus picked up wins in both games in the circle. She came on in relief in game two and pitched 4.2 innings of one-hit softball, giving up no runs and striking out six batters. In game one, she pitched all six innings and gave up just one run on four hits and two strike outs.
East Central next travels to Baton Rouge to face Baton Rouge Community College in a doubleheader Thursday, March 2. Action begins at 1 p.m. The Lady Warriors then begin MACJC play on Tuesday, March 7, against No. 3 ranked Jones County Junior College in a doubleheader in Ellisville beginning at 4 p.m.
The Lady Warriors return home Friday, March 10, to face Coahoma Community College at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Softball Park in Decatur.
