April 25, 2019
East Central second baseman Anderson Shelley is congratulated by assisistant baseball coach Chance Whitten after hitting a home run in game one. (Photo Courtesy Co-Lin Sports Information)
The East Central Community College Warriors began an eight game MACJC road swing with a doubleheader split against the Copiah Lincoln Wolves Wednesday, April 24, in Wesson.
East Central won the opener 8-5 before dropping the nightcap 3-1 in a game that featured just six hits by both teams.
The Warriors are now 20-17 overall on the season and 13-9 in the league. East Central is in a three-way tie for fifth place as the top nine teams earn postseason berths. Co-Lin is now 19-16 overall and 10-12 in the league.
East Central jumped out to a 7-1 lead after five innings in game one and then survived a Co-Lin rally to pick up the 8-5 win.
Leading 2-1, the Warriors scored four runs in the top of the third inning to move in front 6-1. Sophomore third baseman George Farid (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) brought in a run with a sacrifice fly to center, redshirt freshman designated hitter Dakota Kennedy (Choctaw Central) plated a run with a single, and sophomore catcher Alex Hay (Lewisburg) closed out the scoring with a two-run homer to right field.
East Central extended the lead to 7-1 with a solo home run from sophomore second baseman Anderson Shelley (Greenville, Washington School) in the next inning. The final run of the game for the Warriors came on an RBI double by sophomore right fielder Ken Scott (Clarkdale) in the top of the seventh.
Co-Lin would score three times in the sixth, but it would not be enough to catch the Warriors.
Sophomore left-hander Javian Stone (Jackson, Provine, Highland Community College) got the start and the win. He pitched the first five innings before giving way to three East Central relievers who closed out the game.
Game two was a pitchers’ duel as the Warriors managed just two hits in the 3-1 loss. East Central freshman right-hander Tanner Knight (Eupora) gave up just four hits in going the distance in the seven-inning game.
East Central’s only run came in the top of the third when freshman shortstop Roper Ball (Nanih Waiya) singled and later scored on a passed ball.
East Central continues its road swing with a trip to Senatobia to face Northwest on Saturday, April 27. First pitch is 2 p.m. The Warriors close out the MACJC regular season next week when they play at Meridian on Tuesday, April 30, at 4 p.m. and then travel to Clarksdale to face Coahoma on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m.
