EMCC Lions collect extra-inning conference baseball doubleheader split at Itawamba

FULTON – In a pair of extra-inning contests, the visiting Lions of East Mississippi Community College earned their fourth conference doubleheader split of the baseball season with a 12-9 come-from-behind win in 11 innings over Itawamba during Wednesday's MACCC action played at ICC's Roy Cresap Field. The Indians turned the tables on EMCC in the nightcap by claiming a 4-3 comeback victory in walk-off fashion.

The Lions battled from behind during the entire scheduled nine-inning opening game after trailing 6-1 at the end of the second inning. Itawamba followed a two-run first frame with four more scores an inning later off EMCC starting pitcher Caidan Bullard.

EMCC initially cut the deficit to 6-3 with solo runs in the second, third and fourth innings off ICC starting pitcher Everett Thompson. Two frames later, the Lions made it a two-run contest (7-5) by answering Itawamba's fifth-inning tally with a pair of runs in the sixth off reliever Noah Wilder.

As the visitors were gradually chipping away at ICC's lead, Otis Brooks III limited the Indians to just three hits and one run over six innings of relief work to keep the contest within reach for the Lions. Brooks' effective outing paid off when EMCC's Hugh LeMasters smacked a two-out, two-run homer off ICC's Will Lipscomb in the eighth inning. LeMasters' team-leading fifth home run of the year tied the score at 7-7 and ultimately sent the game into extra innings.

Following a scoreless 10^th inning, the Lions loaded the bases to begin the next frame. After Josh King earned a bases-loaded walk to give EMCC its first lead of the contest, Ian Henry and Chipper Moore provided some insurance with consecutive two-run hits to mount a 12-7 advantage.   

Itawamba managed to score twice in the home half of the inning on Evan McCarthy's two-run homer. Luke Sides was able to finish off his solid three-inning relief stint by picking up his second win of the year and fifth of his career in as many decisions for the Lions.

Moore powered the Lions' 12-hit team performance in the opening game by going 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored. LeMasters added a pair of hits, including the game-tying homer, during EMCC's winning effort.

The Lions seemingly rode the momentum of their opening-game comeback victory by reaching ICC starting pitcher and former Mississippi State signee Jud Files for two runs in the first inning of the nightcap. After opening the game with back-to-back singles and each stealing a base, Ty Murphy and Sam McClinton later came around to score on Bullard's grounder and Jayson Smith Jr.'s RBI single, respectively.

The game remained 2-0 for the next three innings until both teams scored in the fifth frame. Answering McClinton's two-out RBI single that gave EMCC a brief 3-0 lead, the Indians took advantage of a leadoff infield error by the Lions to begin the home half of the frame. With a couple of runners on base and two outs, ICC's Nathan Ferris knotted the score at 3-3 with one swing of the bat against EMCC starting pitcher Evan Hilliard.

The score stayed tied for the next two innings of the scheduled seven-inning nightcap. Despite the Lions seemingly with renewed energy after reliever Sam Malone stranded the bases loaded in the seventh to force an extra frame, Files set EMCC down in order in the eighth. Malone countered by retiring the first two ICC batters in the home half of the inning before Houston Green doubled and then came around to score on pinch-hitter Hank Stalnaker's walk-off RBI single.

McClinton had half of the Lions' hits with a 3-for-4 outing at the plate with three stolen bases in the second game.

Head coach Brett Kimbrel's EMCC Lions (19-17, 6-10 MACCC) will continue conference action at Meridian Community College in a Saturday (April 12) afternoon doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at MCC's Scaggs Field.