EMCC Lions look to get back on winning track during busy week of softball action

SCOOBA – East Mississippi Community College's softball team will head into the upcoming week looking to get back on the winning track during a scheduled busy week of conference action.

Weather permitting during the week, the Lions (12-18, 4-12 MACCC) are slated to travel to Itawamba (16-23, 6-8 MACCC) on Tuesday (April 9) before heading to Coahoma (0-24, 0-16 MACCC) on Thursday (April 11) for a rescheduled doubleheader from an earlier postponement due to rain. EMCC is then scheduled to play its third softball twin bill in five days by playing host to Southwest Mississippi (13-15, 2-10 MACCC) Saturday afternoon (April 13) on the Scooba campus. EMCC sophomores Lana Atkins (Millport, AL/ South Lamar HS), Devyn DeBardelaben (Montgomery, AL/ Macon East Academy), Madalyn Dvorak (Caledonia), Carys Goodwin (Corinth), Jenna Kirkland (Greensburg, LA/ Oak Forest Academy), and Layla Roper (New Site) are slated to be recognized during Sophomore Day festivities. Saturday's first pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the EMCC Softball Field.

In need of some victories to stay in contention for possible postseason play, head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC squad is looking to snap a 10-game losing skid that dates back to March 21. Most recently, the Lions were limited to just five total hits during a scoreless twin-bill sweep (11-0 & 7-0) by nationally fifth-ranked Pearl River this past Saturday in Scooba. The Lions had previously opened MACCC play with a 4-2 conference record after consecutively sweeping Mississippi Delta (15-3 & 14-3) and Holmes (13-5 & 10-2) last month.

On the year heading into the final three weeks of the regular season, East Mississippi is currently being paced at the plate by Atkins (.390), Karen Wisher (.337) and Gail Wisher (.330), who have combined for 37 total extra-base hits between them. Goodwin remains the Lions' top pitcher with a 7-7 record and 11 complete games for the season.