2016 Combined

Weekof_0_ ' --..\.,..,____ ~ -_ ( (_f._____

Wanior strong East Central takesfirst-round win in Region 23 tournament

By Elton Hayes e

cor1

DECATUR - East Central shortstop Billy Cameron jogged gingerly to his position in the infield as the Warriors entered the top ofthe ninth inning with a two run lead over Northwest in their Region 23 tournament opener. Although Cameron injured his knee earlier in.the game and aggra\•ated it again later in the contest, the freshman endured the pain to remain on the field for the duration ofEast Central's 3-2 victory Thursday over North west at Clark/Gay Field. With the win, East Central, now 37-15, advances to the winner's bracket, where it will face Jones County, now 46-7, today at 6 p.m.. weather permitting. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Cam eron singled to Northwest shortstop Lee Marcus Boyd and darted to first base. As Boyd flung the baseball to first baseman Aleck Hobson, Cameron stretched his stride to reach the bag and hyperextended his knee while doing so. He fell to the ground as the East Central medical staff attended to him. Cameron eventually returned to his feet and took first base. He later scored the Warriors' third run. "I actually thought my ACL was blown out," Cameron said of the injury. "But when I got back on my feet, I got the feeling back in my knee. I knew my team needed me on the field, and I knew I could push through this injury." Cameron, who also suffered an rnjury to the bursa sac in the same knee early in the year, ended the game with one hit, and reached base twice on errors, and once via a walk. The first-year, Mendenhall High School

Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star East Central Community College's William Kennedy tags out Northwest Mississippi Community College's Aaron Campbell at third base Thursday.

product said he's proud to contribute imme diately for East Central. ''I'm glad I'm in this position," he said. "It's amazing the amount of trust my team has in me to carry the shortstop role. It's one ofthe most important positions on the field, and I'm glad that I've been able to come through this year. I just love this team, and I know we can go to 720. I know we can do it." Starting pitcher Peyton Cain threw the first nine-inning game of his collegiate career,

earning the win. Cain faced 33 batters and allowed just one earned run. He struck out three Northwest batters and walked three. Cain, who played for Newton County High School, threw 103 pitches but said fatigue wasn't an issue. "You kind of get tired in the dugout, but once you're on the mound, you have your adrenaline going and you don't really get tired," he said.

See ECCC, page 82

l.U-'KIOl\1-LCDUCl'\-== = ==============------

MERIDlAN STAR

'\

(,(}J( t h Q.il(? V I ( (bd'

OTHER