March 11, 2021
The East Central Community College Warriors split games with the No. 12 Jones College Bobcats on Wednesday, March 10. After a dominating, 20-3, ECCC victory in game one, the Bobcats grabbed a win in the nightcap, 9-3. The games move the Warriors to 10-6 overall on the year and to the top spot in MACCC play with a 7-1 conference record. Jones moves to 13-9, 6-2.
Game One | W, 20-3
Scoring was no issue for the Warriors in the series opener as back-to-back three-run frames started things off for ECCC. Amani Larry (Bossier City, La.), Jesse Boydstun (Louisville), and Clayton Cook (Mize) all picked up early RBIs in the high-scoring contest.
Jones scratched in three in the third, but the Warriors' big innings did not come until the fourth and fifth as the team plated five and seven runs, respectively. Most runs were manufactured from solid hitting by ECCC, while a few were walked in from Bobcat pitching. Kade Turnage (Picayune) and Conner Hicks (Stringer) both hit RBI-doubles in the scoring onslaught, while numerous Warriors posted RBI singles, groundouts, and sacrifices.
The Warrior defense got a double-play in the bottom of the fifth to help wrap the game up with a 20-3, run-rule victory.
Cook and Larry led the Warriors with two hits each, while Cook posted a team-high three RBIs. Hicks, Larry, Turnage, and R.J. Fletcher (St. Martin) all finished with a pair of runs driven in, while six other Warriors posted one.
Jeremy Martin (Slidell, La.) was the winning pitcher for ECCC. The southpaw went two innings, allowing two runs on two hits and striking out two. Hayden West (Decatur) and Miles Miller (Toomsuba) entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.
Zach Flaskamp took the loss for Jones. He went one and one-third innings, allowing six runs on four hits and striking out three.
Game Two | L, 9-3
East Central kept the pressure on the Bobcats as game two started with a run on an error and a sacrifice fly from Boydstun in the top of the first.
The Bobcats hit back in the bottom of the second with five runs, their biggest frame of the day. Only two of the Bobcats runs were driven in during that rally.
Eli Harrison (Little Rock) posted a groundout-RBI in the fourth to cut the lead to 5-3, but that was the Warriors' last run on the night.
Jones poured in an additional four runs in the bottom of the sixth, and ECCC could not answer in the top of the seventh, finalizing the 9-3 score.
Cook, Larry, Fletcher, Hicks, and Austin Lee (Madison) all posted hits in the game, while Boydstun, Larry, and Harrison had the lone RBIs for ECCC.
Roper Ball took the loss on the bump as he surrendered five runs on five hits over four innings, striking out three. Walker Johnson (Mantee) entered the game in relief and fanned two batters.
Up Next
The Warriors are back at home this Saturday, March 13, as the team plays host to the ICC Indians at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex in Decatur. First pitch of the MACCC doubleheader is set for 2 and 5 p.m. Fans that cannot attend the games can watch live at www.eccclive.com/gold.
