EMCC Lions earn home doubleheader softball split with nightcap win over Itawamba
The Lions of East Mississippi Community College collected their fourth conference doubleheader split of the softball season by earning a 6-5 nightcap victory over visiting Itawamba during Wednesday’s MACCC action played at the EMCC Softball Field. The Lions dropped a close 6-4 decision to the Indians in the opening game.
SCOOBA – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College collected their fourth conference doubleheader split of the softball season by earning a 6-5 nightcap victory over visiting Itawamba during Wednesday's MACCC action played at the EMCC Softball Field. The Lions dropped a close 6-4 decision to the Indians in the opening game.
After falling just short in the opening contest against ICC, the Lions answered Itawamba's solo tally in the first inning of the nightcap by scoring four two-out runs in the home half of the frame. Savannah Fralix's RBI double off ICC starting pitcher Ella Lilly was followed by timely run-scoring singles from Madison Newburn and Raylea Atkinson to make the score 4-1.
EMCC responded again when the visitors plated a pair of unearned runs in the third inning off EMCC starting pitcher Gail Wisher. The Lions reclaimed their three-run margin by taking advantage of a two-out ICC infield error when Victoria Irby's clutch single brought home two runs in the fourth inning to give EMCC a 6-3 lead.
Itawamba battled back again with two more unearned runs in the sixth inning on Joryie McKnight's two-out, two-run single. Wisher maintained EMCC's one-run advantage by getting AB Marlar to fly out with two runners on base. The Lions' pitching ace then returned to the circle in the final frame to retire the Indians in order and nail down EMCC's first series win over ICC since 2014.
Wisher, a sophomore from Irvington, Ala., improved to 7-9 on the season with her 10th complete game. She scattered six hits over seven innings while striking out nine batters.
EMCC's 10-hit team effort in the second game featured four different players with multiple hits. Led by Brianna Byrd's 3-for-3 outing with a double and a run scored, the Lions also received two hits apiece from Fralix, Newburn and Atkinson.
The opening game of the twin bill saw the Lions attempt to come back throughout the contest after ICC took an early 4-0 lead in the second inning. Tayler Graham's bases-clearing triple was the key hit in the frame for the Indians. EMCC did answer in the home half of the inning when Byrd's timely two-out, two-run single off Itawamba starting pitcher Alyssa Clifft cut the deficit in half.
The Indians got those two runs back with solo scores in the fifth and sixth innings off EMCC's Allee Bennett, who held ICC scoreless the previous two frames in relief of Fralix.
The Lions responded with a valiant comeback attempt in the sixth inning only to fall two runs short. Following Sasha King's two-run homer – her team-high third of the year – EMCC managed to load the bases with two outs before Clifft got Gail Wisher to fly out to end the threat and keep the score at 6-4.
Byrd began her 5-for-6 afternoon at the plate with a pair of singles in the opening contest.
Head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC Lions (10-20, 6-12 MACCC) conclude their week-long home stand by playing host to Meridian's Lady Eagles in a Saturday doubleheader on the Scooba campus. First pitch is slated for noon at the EMCC Softball Field.
