March 2, 2022

The No. 12 East Central Community College Warriors picked up a pair of gritty wins in Summit in a tough midweek doubleheader, Wednesday, March 2. The Warriors used stellar batting, aggressiveness, and a strong pitching performance in the first game to overcome six errors in the field to win 9-6. The nightcap trudged along as the Warriors took advantage of Southwest control issues. ECCC had 14 free baserunners in the contest and scored 15 runs on six hits to rune-rule the Bears. With the wins, the Warriors move to 10-2 on the year and grow their win streak to four straight.

Game One | W, 9-6

The Warriors came out swinging in game one against Southwest with Eli Collins driving in leadoff batter Clayton Cook home on a groundout in the top of the first. J.T. Vancefollowed with a towering sac fly to right to score Trey Lewis who singled in the frame. 

Some groundouts forced by starter Gage Tufnell got ECCC right back to the plate in the second. Ty McCollough led off with a single and was quickly in scoring position with a stolen base before reaching third after tagging up on a flyball. Leighton Jenkins followed with a groundout that scored McCollough. 

Two more runs crossed the plate in the third as Kade Turnage drove in Vance on an RBI single. Leighton Jenkins drew an eight-pitch walk with the bases loaded later in the inning to push the Warrior lead to 5-0.

A Coleton Smith RBI double in the fourth and a run scored by Cook in the fifth put ECCC on top 7-3 as the Bears scratched in three runs in the third. 

The Warriors went on to score two in the eighth, while Southwest plated three in the final frames, but it was too late as ECCC had already built a commanding lead. 

Tufnell got the win as he went four innings, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out six. Luke OdomErvin SimmonsCade Hall, and Hayze West all secured outs in relief and ultimately the victory.

The Warriors outhit Southwest 14 to eight with a stellar four-hit performance from Lewis. Vance and Smith also had multi-hit games with two each, while Collins and Jenkins had team-high, two-RBI games.  

 Game Two | W, 15-5 (run-rule)

The Warriors got it done in the nightcap as they capitalized on free baserunners throughout the night. ECCC drew 11 walks and was hit by pitch three times. The baserunners proved helpful as the Warriors were able to plate 15 runs on just six hits. 

ECCC scored in every frame including a five-run inning in the fifth. 

Vance led the Warriors with three RBIs in the game, while Collins posted two. Collins was the lone Warrior in the second game to post multiple hits in the second game. 

David Burton got the nod on the bump and threw a strong four-inning outing. He gave up five runs – four earned – on four hits with six strikeouts and four walks. Miles Miller and Dagan Martin threw in relief to lock in the victory. The Warriors worked through six Southwest pitchers on the night. 

Up Next

The Warriors are back at home this weekend as No. 12 ECCC plays host to DI program Tyler Junior College out of Texas on Saturday, March 5, at 1/4 p.m.