2004

Lady Eag es softball gets, two-game sweep of ECCC By Robby Atkinson staff writer Evans drove both runs in on a double to left field, making the score 4-0. Evans lateii scored on a single to right by jessica Lawer~ ence, which gave MCC a 5-0 lead.

The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles had their backs against the wall after splitting their first conference series of the season last week with East Mississippi. The Lady Eagles responded with a stellar offensive performance in game one to take a 6-2 victory, and in game two, MCC (8-23, 3-1) scored a run in the seventh inning on a bases– loaded walk to take a 3-2 win over visiting East Central Community College Tuesday afternoon at Northeast Park. ''Anytime we can get a sweep in confer– ence play, it is very big," MCC head coach Robert Eakins said. ''We need those kinds ofwins at home in this league, and we hit the ball very well in the frrst game, which was a The Lady Eagles collected 15 hits and got a 4-for-4 performance from right fielder Sheena Evans to take a four-run win in the opener. "She (Evans) did a great job of getting us going," Eakins said. "She did an excellent job of driving the ball, and she got our offense going at the right times." MCC started the bottom of the first with a double from Evans, and Raleigh Odom fol– lowed with an RBI single to give the Lady Eagles a 1-0 lead. MCC added another run in the inning on a single from Kirby Shelby to extend the lead to 2-0. The Lady Eagles continued to swing the bats well in the second inning and plated three more runs to make the score frO. Nikki McClaskey started the inning with a double, and].]. Huggins followed by reaching on a throwing error to set the table for Evans. big plus." MCC 6 ECCC 2

East Central (14-10, 2-2) broke out of its offensive slump by scoring two runs to begin the third ilming, cutting the MCC lead to fr2. Kristen Chaney and Marley Smith started the inning with a single apiece with two outs to give Alana Moore an RBI opportunity. ,\loore took advantage and drove both runs in on a long single to center. Mit was a tight game, and we just didii't make the plays when we needed to," East Central head coach Scott Hill said. "We had sev~ral opportunities early in the game, and we JUst didn't come through." MCC answered with one run in the bottom of the third inning to increase the lead to 6-2. McClaskey started the inning by reaching on a fielder's choice, and Evans collected her third RBI of the day on another double. Stephanie Choo (5-14) took the win for MCC by going seven innings and allowing two ~arned runs, striking out two. The Lady Eagles scored the game-win– ning run on a bases loaded walk to take the sweep over East Central. The Lady Warriors committed two crucial errors in the late stages of the game that allowed MCC to be able to score the game winning run in the seventh. "It was a very good game, and we were in the right position in the end to cake the win " Eakins added. ''We just did some little things that made a big difference in the end as well." MCC coll~cted seven hits in the game. Evans led the way with two hits, including a double. MCC 3 ECCC 2