April 14, 2018
The East Central Community College softball sophomores honored April 13 and their respective high schools include (front row, from left) Tagen Remmel, Clinton; manager Kaytlyn Burrage, Nanih Waiya; Alyssa Pendergrass, Columbia; Mackenzie Johnson, Nanih Waiya; Marlee Parkes, Nanih Waiya; Kenyatta Moore, Philadelphia; Eva Scott, Burleson, Texas, Centennial; Madalyn McMahon, Neshoba Central; and Shelby Walters, Northwest Rankin; and (back row, from left) Reagen Jacobs, Denham Springs, La.; Mackenzie Rousseau, Vanderbilt Catholic (Houma, La.); Cassie Obman, Caledonia; Anna Norris, Geraldine (Grove Oak, Ala.); Melanie McMillan, Lake; Kaitlyn Oswalt, Heritage Academy, Columbus; Kayla Beckham, Neshoba Central; Katherine Shell, Brookhaven; and Ali Gartman, Loyd Star. (EC Photo).
The No. 15 ranked East Central Community College Lady Warriors outscored Mississippi Delta Community College 31-1 over two games to earn a doubleheader sweep in the last regular season home games for 18 sophomores.
East Central won the opener 21-1 in five innings, and took the second game 10-0, also in five innings, Friday, April 13, at the Softball Park in Decatur.
It was Sophomore Day for East Central, as 17 Lady Warrior players and a manager were honored after the game. Together they have posted a 71-17 record the past two seasons.
With the sweep, the East Central Lady Warriors improved to 29-9 overall on the season and 16-8 in MACJC play. East Central is currently in third place in the league standings. The Mississippi Delta Trojans are 2-28 overall and 2-22 in the league.
East Central scored in every inning of game one. The Warriors got nine runs in the first inning, three in each of the second and third innings, and six in the fourth for the game one win. The nine-run first included RBI triples by sophomores Eva Scott (Burleson, Texas, Centennial) and Shelby Walters of Northwest Rankin, and a two-run double from sophomore Ali Gartman, who prepped at Loyd Star. Sophomore Marlee Parkes out of Nanih Waiya also drove in a pair of runs with a single in the first.
Gartman hit a two-run homer for the Lady Warriors in the bottom of the second.
East Central collected 20 hits in the opener, including a four-for-four day for Gartman and five RBI. Parkes had three hits in four trips to the plate and three RBI.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Oswalt out of Heritage Academy (Columbus) got the win pitching the first three innings and giving up five hits and striking out five batters. Sophomore Anna Norris (Grove Oak, Ala.) pitched the final two innings of one-hit ball.
In game two, East Central led 1-0 before scoring six runs in the bottom of the third and three more in the bottom of the fourth to get the 10-1 run-rule win. Sophomore Tagen Remmel of Clinton went out with a bang, blasting a pair of solo home runs. Sophomore Cassie Obman of Caledonia had a two-run homer and Scott brought in two runs with an inside-the-park home run. Obman also singled in a run in the ballgame.
Mackenzie Rousseau (Houma, La., Vanderbilt Catholic) picked up the win in the circle for East Central, tossing a two-hit shutout. The sophomore had a no-hitter through two outs in the top of the last inning. She struck out eight batters.
East Central will close out the regular season at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18, and at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia on Saturday, April 21, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
