EMCC Lions drop home softball doubleheader, 11-2 and 9-1, to Copiah-Lincoln

SCOOBA – In an MACJC softball doubleheader moved up a day because of impending rain, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College couldn't solve the pitching of Kaitlyn Taylor in dropping a pair of decisions, 11-2 and 9-1, to Copiah-Lincoln Community College Thursday afternoon at the EMCC Softball Field.   

While being out-hit, 27-13, on the afternoon, the Lions also couldn't avoid the big inning by the visitors.  Through the first two frames of the opener, Co-Lin posted a pair of runs each inning with the home team answering with solo tallies each time.  EMCC brought home the lead-off batter both innings with Averi Pender delivering an RBI single in the first and Blake Rigdon's infield out plating Molly McLeod, who led off the second with a double into right-center field.

Following two scoreless innings, the visitors broke open the contest by batting around and scoring seven runs on six hits in the fifth inning to account for the 11-2, run-rule decision.  Sophomore catcher Jessica Crum capped the seven-run explosion with her 12^th home run of the campaign off Jordan Self, who relieved EMCC starter Valiree Blair in the fifth.      

Meanwhile in the circle for the Lady Wolves, Taylor scattered seven hits and struck out five with no walks during her five-inning, complete-game victory.

In the nightcap, a pair of infield errors by EMCC helped open the door for three Co-Lin runs in the second inning.  As Lion freshman left-hander Ciara Steward settled down to match Co-Lin's Taylor by throwing four straight scoreless innings during the middle portion of the contest, the Lions made a serious threat in the bottom of the sixth to get back into the contest.

After opening the inning with back-to-back singles by Rigdon and Mallory Vance and then loading the bases with no outs when Sydney Olander's grounder to first was bobbled, the Lions were able to push across their first run of the game on Emily Patrick's groundout to third.  However, EMCC's rally quickly came to a close when Vance was called out at home while trying to score on a wild pitch.  Marissa Landrum then grounded out to second to keep the score at 3-1.

Capped by Crum's NJCAA-leading 13^th homer of the year – another two-run blast off EMCC reliever Chandler Ellis – the Lady Wolves again batted around to produce six runs on six hits in the seventh.  The 9-1 outcome completed the twin-bill sweep for Co-Lin, who also claimed an 8-6 decision over the Lions last month at the Rush Invitational in Meridian.

While going the distance in the nightcap as well, Co-Lin's Taylor allowed just six singles with a pair of strikeouts and once again did not issue a walk.

Coach Kyndall White's EMCC Lions, now 9-11 overall and 4-4 in MACJC play, are slated to play at Southwest Mississippi in a scheduled 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon doubleheader in Summit.