2015

- seemed to battle adversity the entire national cham– pionship tomnament, but they never gave up. "Even when we were down four runs in the final inning of the final game, they still thought they would win. "We only lose four sophomores off this year 's team and we have some talented freshmen begin– ning school at East Central in the fall, so I like our chances to be highly competitive next season." East Central, the No. 5 seed in the tournament, had to win five straight games in the NJCAA National Championship tournament to advance to the finals after losing 16-2 to Des :v!oines Area Community College of Iowa on Thursday to fall into the losers' bracket. Overall, ECCC finished 6- 2 in the four-da) 16-team champ1on,h1p against Kankakee alter having already played two games on Saturday and sitting through rain delays. The No 8 seed Cavaliers out of Kankakee, Ill., were4-0in

afternoon in the final elimination game. The win over Johnson Count' put the Lady Diamond Warriors in the title game againi;t the Cavaliers of Kankakee. Against Johnson County, Maegen Ellis, a product of Oak Hill Academy in West Point, hit a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to . .' . -··' - break a 2-2 tie

got a dramatic 2-1 bottom of the eighth inning win over No. 1 tournament seed and No. 4 ranked Phoenix College out of Arizona, followed by a 3-2 victory over No. 7 seed Lincoln Land Community College out of Illinois to advance to play Saturday. Lady Diamond Warrior outfielder Duke won the Marucci Elite Hitter

Award as the tour– nament's top batter. First base- m a n Mahalia Gibson of Oak Grove H i g h School, secon d b aseman Mall 0 r y Turner of W e s t

''W e only lose four sophomores off this year's team and we have some talented freshmen beginning school at East Central."

and give the Lady Diamond Warriors the 6-2 victory. In the win over D e s Moines in the first

--Kristin Chaney

game on Saturday, the lead changed hands six time·. With the score tied going UltO th 1 ' the l2-7 win, powered b) a E,rrand slam IlY Duke. ECCC opened tourna– ment play Wednesday, May 13, with a 3-2 win over No. 12 seed Macomb Community College out of Michigan, followed by the 16-2 loss to No. 4 seed Des Moin~s and a 7-0 win over No. 14 seed Mercyhurst North East of Pennsylvania on Thur::;day. On Friday. the Lady Diamond Warriors

Lauderdale High School. and pitcher Lacey Hill of Kilbourne La. High All-lbumament Tham. Duke had 10 hit3 m the eight games, including a home run, a triple, and two doubles. She knocked in 10 runs. Gibson had nine hits, including four doubles and a home run and six RBis. Turner had 10 hits and two RBis. Hill pitched 43.1 innings over seven games, winning four and losing one with two no-decisions. She struck out 36 batters.

APPEARED IN:

I the tournament up to that point and had not played CARTHAGINIAN _' ----- since 4 Pm. the previous NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL day. SPIRIT OF MORTON / ~~~~~~~~~~~ MERIDIAN STAR ~~~~~~~~~