Cade Davis’ complete-game win gives EMCC baseball DH split against Coahoma
The Lions of East Mississippi Community College claimed their third MACCC baseball doubleheader split in the last four conference series by earning an 11-3 nightcap victory over Coahoma during Wednesday’s neutral-site twin bill played at Snowden Grove Park due to wet field conditions in Clarksdale. EMCC dropped a 3-2 nine-inning decision to the Tigers in the opening game.
SOUTHAVEN — The Lions of East Mississippi Community College claimed their third MACCC baseball doubleheader split in the last four conference series by earning an 11-3 nightcap victory over Coahoma during Wednesday's neutral-site twin bill played at Snowden Grove Park due to wet field conditions in Clarksdale. EMCC dropped a 3-2 nine-inning decision to the Tigers in the opening game.
Following their one-run loss to Coahoma in the opener, the Lions handed EMCC starting pitcher Cade Davis an early 5-0 lead on the way to scoring runs during each of the first five innings. On the heels of Austin Beech's fifth home run of the year – a two-run shot with leadoff hitter Al Dumas aboard – EMCC added solo runs in each of the next three innings.
Reiley Tate's RBI single brought home Blayze Berry, who tripled to lead off the second inning. During the next two frames, Davione Hull's two-out, pinch-hit RBI single in the third was followed by Wesley Sides' sacrifice fly in the fourth to extend the Lions' lead to 5-0.
After Coahoma cut the deficit to 5-3 with three runs on five hits in the fourth inning, the Lions responded by batting around in their next at-bat to give Davis some breathing room. A six-run fifth inning was highlighted by two-run singles from Tate and Seth Harris to stretch EMCC's lead to 11-3.
Davis responded to the increased run support by retiring the Tigers in order over the next three innings to earn the complete-game victory. The freshman right-hander from Ripley scattered seven hits, while striking out five and not issuing a walk, over seven innings to improve to 3-1 on the year.
Offensively, the Lions banged out 17 hits, including three-hit efforts by Tate and Harris. A total of five EMCC players had multiple-hit outings in the nightcap.
The nine-inning opener was nip and tuck throughout the entire contest with Coahoma grabbing the early 1-0 lead on an unearned run in the first inning off EMCC starting pitcher Will Long.
After the Lions knotted the score at 1-1 on Hull's two-out, pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the sixth, Coahoma answered with a pair of runs on three hits in the bottom half of the frame to move back ahead, 3-1.
EMCC responded with a two-out rally off Coahoma starting pitcher Kirby Ross in the top of the seventh that got back one of the runs on Sides' run-scoring double. Following the two-base hit, reliever Jake Carr retired the next seven batters to preserve the opening-game victory for the Tigers.
Coach Brett Kimbrel's 10-10 EMCC Lions, 3-9 in conference play, are scheduled to play a Saturday (March 27) road doubleheader against Mississippi Gulf Coast in Perkinston.