April 4, 2019
Parker Breland (left) and Annika Jones connect on two-run home runs in the bottom of the fifth inning of game one. (EC Photo)
Powered by the pitching of freshman Braelyn Boykin and a two-out RBI single from Kailee Swindle in the bottom of the sixth inning, the East Central Community College Lady Warrior softball team upset the No. 6 ranked Gulf Coast Lady Bulldogs 4-3 and gained a split in MACJC doubleheader action Wednesday, April 3, at the Softball Park on the ECCC campus in Decatur.
East Central battled back from a 6-0 deficit before losing the opener 6-4, and then got the upset one-run win in the exciting nightcap.
With the split, East Central moves to 14-10 overall and 7-5 in league play. The visitors from Perkinston are now 17-9 overall and 9-3 in the league.
Boykin, a product of Mize High School, pitched all seven innings of game two and gave up just three runs on four hits with three strike outs.
The key inning for the Lady Warriors in the win was the bottom of the fourth when three runs crossed the plate. The big hit of the inning was a two-run homer off the bat of freshman right fielder MaKenzie Barnett (Neshoba Central). Freshman catcher Anna McNeer (Canton Academy) also doubled in a run in the inning to erase a 1-0 Gulf Coast lead.
After the Lady Bulldogs tied the game at 3-3 with a two runs in the top of the sixth, the Lady Warriors got the deciding run in the bottom of the frame. Back-to-back singles by McNeer and freshman third baseman Hannah Dufault (Hurley, East Central) opened the inning. Freshman designated hitter EmilySue Parkman (Lake) walked to load the bases, setting up the game-winning infield single by the freshman first baseman Swindle (Hattiesburg, Presbyterian Christian).
Boykin then set the Gulf Coast batters down in order in the top of the seventh for the win.
East Central almost pulled out a win in the opener. Trailing 6-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Warriors scored four times, thanks to a pair of two-run homers by freshman center fielder Parker Breland (Union) and sophomore shortstop Annika Jones (Leake Academy). Gulf Coast pitcher Bryley Rodriguez came to the circle and shut down the Lady Warriors over the final two and two thirds innings.
Freshman Jesalyn Jarrette (Baskin, La., Franklin Academy) went all seven innings in the circle for the Lady Warriors in game one, striking out four batters in the loss.
The Lady Warriors travel to Sumiton, Ala., to face Bevill State in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 5, and then to Summit to play an MACJC doubleheader against Southwest beginning at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9. The next home action is Friday, April 12, when Holmes visits Decatur for a doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m.
Most East Central home softball games can be heard on WKOZ “Cruisin” 98.3 or watched via live stream video at www.eccc.edu/eccc-media.
Freshman second baseman Kaylee Webb slides safely into second on a hit against Gulf Coast. (EC Photo)
