February 22, 2021
Alana Edmonds (Lake) and Mattie Hodge (Laurel) combined for nine RBIs through a four-game stretch over the weekend as the Lady Warriors played back-to-back doubleheaders in the MCC Rush Invitational. Despite the effort from the freshmen, the Lady Warriors fell to Calhoun Community College, 5-4, Snead State, 7-2, Coastal Alabama-North, 8-3, and Des Moines Area, 8-6. The losses drop the team to 0-6 on the season.
ECCC had a 4-0 lead against Calhoun late in the game but the Lady Warhawks rallied down the stretch and poured in five runs in the last two innings with four in the sixth, and one in the seventh. Anna Caime (Zachary, La.) put the Lady Warriors' first run on the board with an RBI groundout before doubles from Kaytie Hillman (Lake) and Sidney Rone (Ethel) added two more in the fourth. Hodge plated the final run for ECCC in the fifth, before a series of errors put Calhoun back in the game. The Lady Warriors outhit the Lady Warhawks 10 to four in the contest. Gracey Baucom (Purvis) took the loss in the circle as she lasted seven innings, allowing four hits and five runs while striking out two.
Snead State opened up hot in the second game of the day with four runs in the first two innings. A solo homer from Lizzy Hollingsworth (Decatur) put one on the board for ECCC in the third, and another Hillman double scored another, but it was not enough as Snead State snagged the 7-2 win. Jayce Currie (West Monroe, La.) started the game for the Lady Warriors and allowed four hits and four runs over one and one-third innings, while Braelyn Boykin (Mize) went four and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking one.
An early was once again too much to overcome on Sunday as Coastal Alabama-North plated three in the top of the first and another three in the top of the fourth. The Lady Warriors came to life in the final two frames with an RBI double from Edmonds, an RBI single from Caime, and a solo homer from Zharia Richardson (Gulfport), but it was not enough as Coastal Alabama took the game, 8-3. Baucom was in the circle for the Lady Warriors. The righthander lasted two innings, allowing five hits and three runs while striking out two and walking one. Currie and Kam Hodges (Ethel) entered the game from the bullpen, throwing three and a third innings and one and two-thirds innings respectively.
The Lady Warriors' strongest game at the plate came in the final game of the weekend, as ECCC responded to a three-run start from Des Moines Area with six runs through the first and second inning. RBIs from Edmonds and Hodge poured in three for the Lady Warriors in the first. In the second, Edmonds drove in another run on a single and Katelynn Gipson (Decatur) joined her with an RBI single to grow the lead to 6-3. Unfortunately, Des Moines poured in five down the stretch to pull away an 8-6 victory. Boykin toed the rubber for ECCC and surrendered five runs on five hits over four and a third innings, striking out five. Hodge threw two and two-thirds innings out of the bullpen.
East Central is back on the diamond on Tuesday, February 23, as the Lady Warriors take on Coastal Alabama-South at 2 and 4 p.m. Fans that cannot attend the game, can watch live at www.eccclive.com/gold.
