Front-running EMCC Lions remain unbeaten in MACJC play with home doubleheader sweep over Holmes

SCOOBA – A 3-2 comeback, nightcap victory coupled with a 10-4 win in game one secured East Mississippi Community College's Tuesday doubleheader sweep over visiting Holmes Community College in MACJC baseball action played at EMCC's Gerald Poole Field.        

The home-standing Lions scored all 10 of their opening-game runs over the first three innings to back J'Daylin Jackson's fifth win of the season, while Kyle Liberto's walk-off, RBI single in the bottom of the eighth in the nightcap combined to push EMCC's league-leading MACJC record to 6-0 and 12-6 overall.

In Tuesday's opener, EMCC wasted little time in jumping out to a 3-0 lead with three unearned runs in the opening frame.  The Lions took advantage of a game-opening infield error with a sacrifice fly by David Pimentel followed by consecutive two-out, run scoring singles from Emil Ellis and Taylor Stafford.

The Lions then benefitted from consecutive inning-opening hit batsmen in the second, as Dylan Vuncannon would later smack a bases-clearing triple to right-center field off Holmes starting pitcher Cole Feazell to highlight a four-run frame.  An inning later, a lead-off double by Drew Standland and JoVaughn McNabb's triple would lead the way for three more EMCC runs in the third.

The 10 early runs proved to be more than enough run support for Jackson in the scheduled nine-inning opener.  The sophomore southpaw from Greenville's St. Joseph Catholic School only allowed a first-inning single and a solo home run by Maverick Keffer in the second during his efficient six-inning starting stint.  Jackson struck out five and walked two to improve to 5-0 on the year and 13-1 in his EMCC career.

Offensively in game one, the Lions totaled 14 hits with eight of their nine starters hitting safely in the contest.  Stafford had three singles in as many at-bats through the first three innings before coming out of the game to rest for his collegiate pitching debut in the nightcap.  McNabb, Vuncannon and Standland all added two hits apiece in the opening contest.

Tuesday's nightcap on the Scooba campus proved to be a pitchers' duel between EMCC's Stafford and Holmes right-hander Derrick Sylve.  The contest was scoreless until the seventh inning when both teams scored twice to produce a decisive extra frame.

In the top of the seventh, a lead-off double by Cody Sartin off EMCC reliever Jake Bracewell was followed by a hit batsman, an RBI single from Keffer and later by a throwing error on an attempted pick-off play at third base.  Holmes' two-run seventh was matched by EMCC in the bottom half of the inning.  With Sylve seemingly tiring on the mound and plagued by an infield throwing error on Pimentel's single grounded between first and second base, the Lions ultimately manufactured their game-tying runs on that infield single aided by the costly throwing error and additionally by two wild pitches and a passed ball.

After eventual winning pitcher Ryan Rigby (2-0) retired the Bulldogs in order in the eighth, the Lions reached Holmes reliever Michael Harrison for the winning tally in the bottom half of the frame.  Corley Reynolds coaxed a lead-off walk and was then balked to second and sacrificed over to third on a Standland bunt.  Following a one-out intentional walk to Stafford, Liberto drilled the game-winning hit to right-center field to complete EMCC's third straight conference sweep.

Not to be overlooked in the Lions' nightcap comeback was Stafford's collegiate debut on the mound.  After going 3-for-3 at the plate as EMCC's center fielder in the opener, the New Hope High School product was outstanding in his no-decision.  During his scoreless five-inning debut on the hill, Stafford only allowed a lead-off, bloop single in the third en route to striking out eight and walking two.      

With only nine combined hits between the two teams in the nightcap, Pimentel led the way with a pair of singles for the winners.  As a team, the Lions added six stolen bases in game two and totaled 10 swipes during the twin-bill sweep.

Continuing their four-date home stand through the end of March, head coach Chris Rose's league-leading EMCC Lions are slated to play host to Copiah-Lincoln Community College in a 2 p.m. Saturday doubleheader on the Scooba campus.