EMCC Lions close out home baseball slate with 9-4, 8-1 setbacks against Jones
The Lions of East Mississippi Community College closed out the home portion of their 2021 baseball season by falling to Jones College, 9-4 and 8-1, in Sunday’s MACCC action played at EMCC’s Gerald Poole Field.
SCOOBA — The Lions of East Mississippi Community College closed out the home portion of their 2021 baseball season by falling to Jones College, 9-4 and 8-1, in Sunday's MACCC action played at EMCC's Gerald Poole Field.
In the opening contest, the home-standing Lions countered Jones' first-inning solo run with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame. Al Dumas' lead-off triple was followed by Austin Beech's RBI single to knot the score, 1-1, after an inning.
From there, however, as Jones starting pitcher Kameron Partridge settled in to allow only two more singles over the next five innings, the Bobcats established control of the opener with four runs in the third inning and two more in the fifth. Preston Ratliff's three-run homer off EMCC starting pitcher Gabe Garner highlighted JC's four-run third frame.
After Jones extended its lead to 8-1 with another run in the seventh, the Lions cut the deficit in half in the home half of the inning. Mississippi State transfer Blayze Berry and Beau Bates both belted solo home runs off JC reliever Colby Tubre for their fourth homers of the year to make it an 8-4 contest.
While the Bobcats added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, four Jones pitchers combined to strike out 17 EMCC batters in the opening game.
Offensively, Dumas led EMCC's seven-hit team effort with a 3-for-5 outing at the plate in the opener, adding a single in the sixth inning and a double in the ninth.
The visitors got an early jump during the nightcap as well, scoring three times in the first inning off EMCC starting pitcher Cade Davis.
After the Lions got on the board with Davione Hull's lead-off homer in the fourth inning – his second of the season – off Jones starting pitcher Wyatt Blalock, the Bobcats answered with two runs in the fifth and three more a frame later. Ratliff's two-run blast – his second homer of the day – in the fifth inning preceded a three-run sixth that was highlighted by Hunter French's two-run triple.
During the seven-inning nightcap, Blalock and reliever Jesse Johnson combined to limit EMCC to only four hits while striking out a dozen Lion hitters.
Coach Brett Kimbrel's EMCC Lions, 18-16 overall and 11-15 in conference play, are scheduled to close out regular-season play during a Saturday (April 24) road doubleheader at Hinds Community College. First pitch for Saturday's EMCC-Hinds baseball twin bill is slated for 3 p.m. at Joe G. Moss Field in Raymond.