2016 Combined

WEEK OF 5-l1-)((J

REGION 23 ECCC ends season vs. JCJC By Jamey Lanier Sp 1a tt 11 ' DECATUR - The East Central Community College basebaJJ team came up just short of a NJ CAA Region 23 championship Sunday, falling to the nation's third ranked Jones County Junior College Bobcats, 6 5. The Warriors fell behind 6-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the never-say-die squad brought the crowd to its feet with five sixth-inning runs to get back into the game. The Jones County defense buckled down, however, and held East Central scoreless for the final three innings to take the narrow victory and punch it's ticket to play in the Junior College World Series in Enid, Okla. East Central skipper Neal Holliman couldn't help but feel bittersweet following the contest. " We had a plan - we e"ecuted that plan, but they just beat us," Holliman said. " I tip my hat to Jones. They are the best offensive team that I've seen in my 13-years in JuCo baseball." Holliman also saw his scrappy team battle until the final out. "We absolutely want to win, but l'm just so proud of our team," Holliman said. •The scoreboard said that we had fewer runs, but like I've said before, that doesn't dictate how I feel about my guy."

Jones County got to East Central starter Peyton Cain in the first inning, ~coring three runs on three hits. Tyler Ladner replaced Cain with one out in the first frame and stopped the Bobcat barrage, leaving the score at 3-0. Luke Yancey took the mound for the Warriors ;n the second inning and, after giving up a run, held the Bobcats at bay until the sixth inning. Jones plated two runs in the top of the sixth, but after five innings of seeing hard hit after hard hit go right to a Bobcat defender, East Central started seeing their hits fall where the defense couldn't get to them. Dylan Snypes led off, and after forcing Jones starter Logan Robbins to throw IO pitches, the sophomore shortstop drilled a triple down the first-base line. Will Kennedy followed with a single that plated Snypse. Cole Prestegard

ECCC from page B 1 baJJ before Matt Mitchell drew a walk and Zach Parker reached on a hit by pitch. TJ Lockett drew a walk to load the bases. No. 9 hitter Michael Davis then smashed a double down the third-base line that cleared the third-base bag before it hit the ground and cleared the bases. Davis was caught in a rundown on the throw to the infield and was tagged for the third out, narrowing the Bobcat lead to 6-5 with three innings to play. Robbins held the Warriors scoreless going into the ninth, and Mason Strickland came in in the ninth to close the door on the Warriors, getting Snypse looking to end the game. Davis firtished with a hit and three RBis. Snypse added a double and scored a run. Kennedy had a single, RBI and a stolen base for East Central. The Warriors ended the season with a 38-17 record, collecting a MACJC state championship and NJ CAA Region 23 runner-up hardware along the way.

grounded out to first, and Brandon Clark grounded out to third for the second out to move Kennedy to third. He scored on passed .1. See ECCC, page 83

'PEAL _ _ _ NESHOBA DEMOCRAT ------- SCOTT COUNTY TIMES ___ _ WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL __ CLARION-LEDGER --------- OTHER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MERIDIAN STAR __,_ ./______