Eagles Sweep Lions

Meridian - The Meridian Community College Eagles picked up wins 6 and 7 Sunday as they swept East Mississippi Community College 14-6 and 10-4 at Scaggs Field. The Eagles improved to 7-7 on the year while the Lions fell to 0-12.

Head coach Dillon Sudduth said, "It's always a good day when you play well and get a sweep. I think the biggest takeaway though is that we continue to work and improve and that's been the message. Let's get a little better everyday to prepare for league play."

Game 1

Freshman Hunter McLean led the Eagles past East Mississippi Community College 14-6 in game 1 Sunday. McLean drove in four runs on a grand slam in the sixth inning.

The bats were hot Sunday as Eagles collected 12 hits, and East Mississippi Community College had ten in the high-scoring game.

East Mississippi Community College opened up scoring in the first inning on an Al Dumas hit a solo homer. Kace Garner would match Dumas with a homer of his own in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1.

The Lion's Josh Smith hit a 3-run home run in the top of the third to make it 3-1. The Eagles answered with three of their own.  Banks Tolley doubled on a 1-1 count, scoring one run, Konner Copeland induced Kace Garner to hit into a fielder's choice, but an error allowed one run to score. Nelson then singled on a 2-2 count, scoring Garner, and Raven Arrington doubled on the first pitch of the at-bat, scoring Nelson.

Eagles put up seven runs in the sixth inning to run away with the game. The inning started with a walk by Arrington, a single by Nelson, a sacrifice fly by Cayleb Dyess. Hunter McLean finished things off with a grand slam home run. 

Austin Huggins was credited with the victory for Eagles allowing four runs on six hits over four innings, striking out two and walking zero. Chandler Cline and Logan Stewart entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief. Stewart recorded the last four outs to earn the save for Eagles.

Copeland took the loss for East Mississippi Community College. He went three and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs on eight hits and striking out two.

Game 2:

The Eagles  defeated East Mississippi Community College 10-5 in game 2. 

Eagles got things moving in the first inning. Kace Garner doubled on a 2-2 count, scoring Banks Tolley, who led the inning off with a walk.

Caleb Dyess drove in Garner to make it 2-0 before a Lion error would allow two more runs to score in the first. Eagles would lead 4-0 after 1.

The Lions would bounce back in the next inning to score three runs of their own.

Hunter McLean picked up where he left off in game 1 with a solo home run to start the third inning.

In the fourth inning, Adam Moncure cleared the bases with a double, scoring Thomas, Tolley, and Mclean.

Caleb Dyess would end the scoring for the Eagles with a 2-run home run in the sixth inning. The Lions picked up two runs in the seventh, but it wouldn't be enough as the Eagles took the five-run victory.

Kimani Davis led the Eagles to victory on the hill after relieving starting pitcher Christian Jones who pitched 2.2 innings and allowed four hits and three runs. Davis went two and two-thirds innings, allowing zero runs on zero hits, striking out one and walking one. Austin Allen and Holden Dykes entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.

Chance Denson took the loss for East Mississippi Community College. He allowed six hits and eight runs over four innings, striking out five.

Eagles tallied two home runs on the day. Cayleb Dyess went yard in the fifth inning. Hunter McLean put one out in the second inning.

Eagles saw the ball well today, racking up eight hits in the game. Caleb Dyess and Bridley Thomas each had multiple hits for Eagles. 

Up Next

The Eagles will travel to Mobile, Alabama, Monday, March 9, 2020, to play a round-robin set of games with Spring Hill JV and Gulf Coast State College. The games will be played at Hank Aaron stadium in Mobile.