EMCC Lions earn baseball split at Itawamba with 10-0 nightcap victory

FULTON — The Lions of East Mississippi Community College earned a second straight conference baseball doubleheader split by claiming a 10-0 run-rule nightcap road win over Itawamba during Wednesday's MACCC action.  The home-standing ICC Indians held on for a 7-6 victory over EMCC in the opening game played at Roy Cresap Field.

After falling just short in the opener, the visiting Lions came out swinging in the nightcap by scoring their first five runs of the game on home runs.  Rye McGlothin's team-leading sixth homer of the year – a two-run shot in the first inning – was followed by Braxton Lee's two-run blast in the second and Wesley Sides' solo homer to lead off the fourth.

The early 5-0 lead was more than enough run support needed for EMCC starting pitcher Will Long.  The Lions would go on to double their run total by benefitting from seven walks by ICC pitching to push across five additional runs in reaching the run-rule margin by the fifth inning.

On the mound, Long scattered four singles and allowed only one ICC runner to advance into scoring position.  The right-hander from Ripley efficiently used 64 pitches (44 strikes) over his five-inning stint with 16 first-pitch strikes in 20 batters faced to record his first collegiate victory.       

Davione Hull had a pair of singles for the Lions' other two hits in the second contest.

East Mississippi also got on the board first in the nine-inning opening game and held a 5-4 lead during the late stages of the contest. 

Austin Beech staked EMCC starting pitcher Gabe Garner to an early 2-0 lead with a two-run homer – his fourth of the year – in the first inning.  After Itawamba batted around in the third inning to grab a 4-2 lead, the Lions moved back ahead with a three-run fourth inning highlighted by Reiley Tate's two-out, two-run double.

As the visitors used five different pitchers during the opener, the Indians were able to reclaim the lead, 7-5, with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh by taking advantage of six walks and a hit batsman issued by EMCC pitching during the two frames.

Despite recording three double plays defensively in the contest, the Lions couldn't get the tying run home in the opener after leaving a runner in scoring position during each of the last two innings against ICC relievers Roe Ketchum and David Rowland.

Tate went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs batted in to lead EMCC's seven-hit team effort in the opener.

Coach Brett Kimbrel's EMCC Lions, 9-7 overall and 2-6 in conference play, are set to open a week-long home stand by playing host to the Bears of Southwest Mississippi on Saturday afternoon on the Scooba campus.  First pitch for Saturday's EMCC-Southwest baseball doubleheader is set for 2 p.m. at EMCC's Gerald Poole Field.