February 20, 2022
The East Central Lady Warrior softball team went 1-3 as the team traveled to Gulf Shores, Ala., for the Sun Chief Classic February 18-19. ECCC dropped games to Coastal Alabama-South and Gulf Coast College on the first day of action and took down Walters State and fell to Central Alabama on the second. After the long weekend, the Lady Warriors are 7-5 on the season. ECCC is off for the early part of the week before playing host to the Marion Military Institute Lady Tigers on Thursday, February 24, at "The Mound" in Decatur.
Game One vs Coastal Alabama-South | L, 6-2
The Lady Warriors started the weekend hot with a two-run RBI double in the top of the first from Jayce Currie in the top of the first inning, but unfortunately, that was all for the Lady Warriors in the opening contest. The Sun Cheifs plated two runs in the bottom of the third to knot the game before an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth gave Coastal a 3-2 lead. Three runs in the bottom of the sixth grew the lead to the 6-2 finish.
Rae Rae Evans took the loss for East Central in the circle. She surrendered four runs on five hits over two and a third innings, striking out one and walking one.
Caroline Jackson got the start and lasted three innings, allowing eight hits and two runs while striking out one and walking one.
Lizzy Hollingsworth led the Lady Warriors at the plate with two hits, while Currie's two RBIs were a team-high.
Game Two vs Gulf Coast College | L, 11-3 (6 innings)
The Gulf Coast College Lady Commodores plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to get the contest started in ECCC's second matchup of the weekend. A passed ball and a sacrifice fly from Shante' Beaulieu in the top of the third to quickly tie the game 2-2.
The Lady Commodores added one in the bottom of the second and another four in the fourth to take and grow the lead to 7-2.
A solo home run from Currie in the sixth gave the Lady Warriors some momentum, but four more Lady Commodore runs in the bottom half allowed for the 11-3 run-rule.
Currie took the loss on the rubber for ECCC. The righty surrendered nine runs on nine hits over five and a third innings, striking out one.
Emily McDonald was 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Lady Warriors in hits.
Game Three vs Walters State | W, 9-6
The Lady Warriors win on the weekend came over Walters State as ECCC jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The runs came on a pair of RBI singles from Emmi Harkins and Meadow Villar. The Lady Senators hit back in the second with a two-run homer, but ECCC put up another three-spot in the third as Maddie Hodge roped a base-clearing, three-run triple.
Walters State again responded with some long balls, but an RBI double from Villar and an RBI single from Hollingsworth grew the lead to 9-5 in the sixth inning. The Lady Warriors locked down on defense to secure the win down the stretch.
Jackson got the start for ECCC and lasted two and a third innings, allowing three hits and four runs while striking out one and walking one, while Evans took the win as she allowed five hits and two runs over four and two-thirds innings, striking out two.
Taylor Pittman, Harkins, and Villar all posted a multi-hit game, while Pittman was 3-for-3.
Game Four vs Central Alabama | L, 10-8
The Lady Warriors showed loads of resiliency in their final game of the weekend as the Lady Trojans took an 8-0 lead in the top of the first.
ECCC hit back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame as Villar ripped a double to center field. Beaulieu drove in another on a sac fly in the fourth to cut the lead to 8-3. Central Alabama scored on in the fifth and sixth to grow the lead to 10-3, but ECCC was right back in it with RBI shots from Anna Caime and Mattie Hodge.
In the bottom of the seventh, a pair of walks and an error loaded the bases. Harkins plated two runs with RBI single to make it 10-8, but unfortunately, ECCC could not find any more runs.
Evans took the loss in the circle as she lasted six innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out four and walking zero. Currie got the start and gave up two hits and four runs over one-third of an inning.
The Lady Warriors outhit the Lady Trojans 10-9 with Hodge, McDonald, and Villar all posting multiple hits.
