March 21, 2019


East Central freshman left fielder Kaylee Webb slides under the tag of the Jones College catcher to tie the score 1-1 in first inning action of game one. (EC Photo)

The East Central Community College softball team entertained the No. 1 ranked NJCAA Division II team in the nation in a spring break doubleheader Wednesday, March 20, with the Jones Lady Bobcats coming out on top in both games.

The ECCC Lady Warriors hung close with the defending national champions in the early innings of both contests played at the Softball Park in Decatur, before the defending national champion Lady Bobcats used big innings to end both games by run rule. Jones won the opener 16-2 and then took the nightcap 18-2.

East Central is now 9-7 on the season and 2-2 in MACJC league play, while the Jones Lady Bobcats improved to 18-3 and 4-0.

In the opener, Jones took an early lead with a home run in the top of the first. East Central grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame on back-to-back doubles from freshman left fielder Kaylee Webb (Ruston, La., Ruston) and freshman right fielder Olivia Houston (Northwest Rankin) to open the inning. Freshman catcher Anna McNeer (Canton Academy) then singled and later scored on an error.

The Lady Bobcats responded with two runs in the top of the second to take the 3-2 lead which is where the score stood until Jones scored five runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, and seven in the sixth to get the 16-2 win in six innings.

Jones outhit East Central 14-4, including three that left the park. Webb had two hits for the Lady Warriors.

In game two, the two teams were tied 1-1 after two innings. East Central’s run came on an RBI double off the bat of freshman first baseman Kailee Swindle (Hattiesburg, Presbyterian Christian School) in the bottom of the second which scored sophomore shortstop Annika Jones (Leake Academy), who had singled. After that it was all Jones, as the Lady Bobcats scored twice in the top of the third, and then put eight more runs on the scoreboard in the fourth and seven in the fifth to end the game with an 18-2 win. East Central’s other score came on a home run by freshman third baseman Hannah Dufault (Hurley, East Central) in the fifth inning.

Freshman second baseman MaKenzie Barnett (Neshoba Central) and freshman designated hitter EmilySue Parkman (Lake) each had two of East Central’s seven hits in the loss.

The Lady Warriors will be on the road for their next two doubleheaders. East Central will travel to Scooba to play East Mississippi at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, before heading to Meridian to face the Lady Eagles at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26. The next home action is when No. 18 ranked Itawamba visits the East Central Softball Park for games at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, March 29.

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.