February 13, 2017


Freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Oswalt, a product of Heritage Academy, won her third game of the young season by tossing a four-hitter against Marion Military Institute. (EC Photo)

The No. 12 nationally ranked East Central Community College Lady Warrior softball team picked up its second sweep of the young season Monday, Feb., 13, this time over the Marion Military Institute Lady Tigers at the Softball Park in Decatur.

East Central won the opener of the doubleheader 6-3, and then took the nightcap by run rule 8-0 in five innings.

The Lady Warriors, who play in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II, are now 4-0 on the young season. Marion Military, an NJCAA Division I program, dropped to 7-7.

East Central scored the final five runs of the first game after falling behind 3-1 early.

Freshman catcher Cassie Obman from Caledonia High School singled in a run in the bottom of the first inning to give East Central the first lead. Marion tied the score 1-1 with a solo home run in the top of the second and extended its lead to 3-1 with two more runs in the third. From there the Lady Warriors scored in their next four at-bats for the win.

Freshman third baseman Madalyn McMahon of Neshoba Central homered to left field in the bottom of the third and sophomore first baseman Brittney McCray from Sumrall High School singled in the tying run in the bottom of the fourth. East Central scored two more times in the fifth on two hits and a Marion error. Sophomore left fielder Abby Winstead from Sebastopol singled in the final Lady Warrior run in the bottom of the sixth.

McMahon had three hits in game one, while McCray, Obman, and sophomore second baseman Latesia Davis from Newton County High School had two hits each.

Freshman Kaitlyn Oswalt out of Heritage Academy in Columbus picked up her third win of the year in three games in the circle. She gave up four hits and struck out three.

East Central outhit the Lady Tigers 10-4.

Game two was a pitcher’s duel until the bottom of the fourth when freshman shortstop Kayla Beckham, a product of Neshoba Central, hit a solo home run to break up the scoreless tie. The Lady Warriors extended their lead to the final 8-0 in the fifth inning on an RBI single from McMahon, a two-run single from Obman, a hit batter, a two-run double off the bat of freshman Tagen Remmel of Clinton High School, and an RBI single from freshman Marlee Parkes of Nanih Waiya.

Freshman pitcher Mackenzie Rousseau out of Vanderbilt Catholic High School in Houma, La., picked up her first win of the year throwing a three-hit shutout.

East Central will travel to Scooba Thursday, Feb. 16, to face East Mississippi Community College in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Lady Diamond Warriors return home Saturday, Feb. 18, to host Shelton State Community College out of Tuscaloosa at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Shelton State is ranked No. 10 in the most recent NJCAA Division I poll.

Most East Central home softball games game can be heard on the radio at WKOZ “Cruisin” 98.3. The radio broadcasts are also streamed online on the ECCC website at www.eccc.edu/eccc-media and at www.kicks96news.com.

Live video streaming is available via high-definition video and streaming audio found at www.eccc.edu/eccc-media or www.kicks96news.com.

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