February 10, 2020
Warrior outfielder Dakota Kennedy scores an early run in East Central’s opening game win over Mississippi Delta. (EC Photo)
The East Central Community College Warriors scored a pair of 10-2 wins to open the 2020 baseball season with a sweep over the Mississippi Delta Trojans Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Clark-Gay Baseball Complex on the campus in Decatur.
ECCC scored in every inning on its way to a 10-2 run-rule win in the opener that was called after seven innings. The Warriors used an eight run bottom of the fifth inning in the seven-inning game two to take another 10-2 win.
Four ECCC pitchers combined to hold Mississippi Delta to two runs on just five hits in the opener. Sophomore right-hander Tanner Knight (Eupora) got the win. The Louisiana Tech signee pitched the first three innings and gave up no runs on two hits with five strikeouts.
East Central collected 10 hits in game one, with sophomore second baseman Roper Ball (Nanih Wayia), freshman right fielder Jesse Boydstun (Winston Academy), and freshman first baseman Stephen Wolf (Madison, St. Joseph Catholic) each with two hits. Boydstun knocked in two runs.
The Warriors stole eight bases in the win, with Ball, Wolf, and sophomore center fielder Dakota Kennedy (Choctaw) with two each.
Kennedy got East Central on the scoreboard first in game two with a full count leadoff homer to left field in the bottom of the first. The Warriors led 2-1 heading to the bottom of the fifth when eight runs crossed the plate. Boydstun had a two-run single, Kennedy a two-run double, and freshman shortstop Amani Larry (Bossier, La., Parkway) an RBI single in the frame. Ball stole two more bases in game two.
Sophomore right-hander Walker Johnson (East Webster) had a good outing on the mound to open the season, throwing the first four innings. He gave up one run on three hits with six strikeouts.
ECCC opens the season 2-0, while the Mississippi Delta Trojans are 0-2.
East Central will next host Shelton State (Ala.) in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14.
The Warriors then travel to the state of Florida to take on Pensacola State on Tuesday, Feb. 18. First pitch of the doubleheader is 2 p.m.
All home games can be heard on WKOZ “Cruisin” 98.3 or watched via live stream video at www.eccc.edu/eccc-media.
East Central outfielder Jesse Boydstun slides into third ahead of the throw in game one action. (EC Photo)
Sophomore pitcher Braxton Rose (Newton County) pitched two and a third innings of relief in the game one win. (EC Photo)
