February 24, 2021
Freshman shortstop Lizzy Hollingsworth makes a play in the first game win over Coastal Alabama-South. (EC Photo)
The East Central Community College Lady Warriors picked up their first win of the year on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 23, with a 7-0 blanking of Coastal Alabama-South. The Sun Chiefs bounced back in game two and grabbed a win to split the series. ECCC moves 1-7 on the season, while Coastal Alabama goes to 6-9.
Game One | W, 7-0
Solid pitching from both teams highlighted the opening innings on Tuesday afternoon, but the Lady Warriors broke through in the bottom of the third when Lizzy Hollingsworth (Decatur) ripped a two-run homer to dead center field. The big swing got the momentum on ECCC's side as the team poured in three more in the fourth. The runs came on a solo homer from Kaytie Hillman (Lake), an RBI single from Hollingsworth, and an RBI single from Alana Edmonds (Lake).
The Lady Warriors never took their foot off the pedal as two more runs came in the fifth with a towering two-run shot from Sidney Rone (Ethel).
Gracey Baucom (Purvis) threw a stellar, complete-game from the circle. The righthander allowed just three hits and zero runs while striking out four.
Hollingsworth led the way with three RBIs, while Rone finished with two doubles and the two-run homer to lead the team in hits.
Game Two | L, 5-3
The Sun Chiefs were the first on the board in game two with a run in the top of the first off an RBI groundout. ECCC responded in the bottom of the second after Katelynn Gipson (Decatur) led things off with a single. Hillman drove her in later in the frame on a groundout.
The back-and-forth game went back into Coastal Alabama's favor in the fourth with an RBI single. The Sun Chiefs added another later in the inning on a passed ball, making it 3-1.
ECCC got one back in the sixth after Rone scored on a passed ball. She led off the inning with a double.
In the top of the seventh, the Sun Chiefs appeared to have pushed the lead to 6-3 with a three-run homer from Katherine Richardson, however, she did not touch home plate, allowing the Lady Warriors to tag her out, making it 5-3. The Lady Warriors got on the bases in the bottom half of the inning but were unable to plate any runs.
Braelyn Boykin (Mize) toed the rubber for the Lady Warriors and surrendered two runs on two hits over three innings, striking out two and walking one. Jayce Currie (West Monroe, La.) threw four innings in relief.
Mattie Hodge (Laurel) and Gipson led the way at the dish with two hits each while Hillman posted the lone ECCC RBI.
The Lady Warriors travel to East Mississippi on Saturday, Feb. 27, to open MACCC play. The doubleheader is set for 1 and 3 p.m.
