EMCC Lions close out softball season with 12-4 run-rule road win over No. 14 East Central
East Mississippi Community College’s softball season concluded in winning fashion with a 12-4 run-rule road victory over 14th-ranked East Central during the nightcap of Saturday’s MACCC doubleheader split. EMCC dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to the Lady Warriors in the opening game.
DECATUR – East Mississippi Community College's softball season concluded in winning fashion with a 12-4 run-rule road victory over 14th-ranked East Central during the nightcap of Saturday's MACCC doubleheader split. EMCC dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision to the Lady Warriors in the opening game.
After being limited to just three singles by ECCC winning pitcher Emily Collins in the first contest, the Lions totaled 11 hits in the nightcap win, including a pair of two-run homers in the sixth inning.
EMCC's offense was aided by drawing five consecutive walks to open the second game. Rachel Rommel capped the Lions' four-run opening frame with a two-run single.
Powered by Reagan Bryan's two-out, three-run homer, the Lady Warriors answered a frame later with a four-run inning of their own off EMCC starting pitcher Morgan Mills to knot the score at 4-4.
The Lions responded by scoring runs during each of their last three at-bats to provide the necessary run support for EMCC reliever Lana Atkins. After Victoria Irby's two-run triple highlighted a three-run fourth inning, the Lions added another run in the fifth before reaching the eight-run margin with four more scores in the sixth frame. EMCC's power surge consisted of two-run home runs by opening-game starting pitcher Carys Goodwin and three batters later by Rachel Rommel to highlight the freshman catcher's 3-for-4, four-RBI effort at the plate.
Atkins, out of Millport, Alabama, worked around five walks to toss four scoreless innings against East Central. After throwing two scoreless innings in relief of Goodwin in the day's opening game, Atkins held the Lady Warriors hitless in the nightcap to improve her record to 6-5 on the year.
Brianna Byrd and Madalyn Dvorak added two hits apiece in EMCC's run-rule victory.
Under the guidance of second-year head coach Mackenzie Byrd, the EMCC Lions completed the 2024 season with a 16-26 overall record to mark a five-win improvement from last season. The 16 victories, including conference doubleheader sweeps over Holmes, Mississippi Delta and Coahoma, also marked the most overall wins for an EMCC softball team since the 2018 season.