EMCC Lions smack 11 extra-base hits in 17-15 nightcap win at Delta to secure conference softball split

MOORHEAD – The visiting Lions of East Mississippi Community College outlasted Mississippi Delta, 17-15, during Wednesday's nightcap to earn a road doubleheader split in MACCC softball action. The Lady Trojans claimed a 6-4 win over EMCC in the opening game.

The midweek slugfest featured a total of 32 runs scored on 31 combined hits between the two teams. EMCC's 17 hits in the second game included 11 extra-base knocks.  

The Lions held an early 8-1 lead in the nightcap with four two-run hits through the first two innings. On the heels of RaMiyah Price's two-out, two-RBI double in the opening frame, her two-run homer a frame later capped a six-run second inning that also included a two-RBI double by Savannah Mitchell and Devin Bourgeois' two-run single.

In the home half of the second inning, Delta took advantage of four straight walks allowed by EMCC pitching and scored on all four free passes to cut the deficit to 8-5.

After the Lions got two runs back in their next at-bat on run-scoring, extra-base hits by Bourgeois and Olivia Saucier, the Lady Trojans took their first lead of the game (11-10) by scoring six times in the bottom of the third inning.

EMCC freshman starting pitcher Chaley Peterson re-entered the game in the third inning and proceeded to hold Delta scoreless in the fourth and fifth frames. During Peterson's second pitching stint of the game and third appearance of the afternoon, the Lions reclaimed the lead for good with three runs in the fifth inning. Saucier and Bourgeois had back-to-back RBI doubles in the go-ahead frame to help put the visitors back in front 13-11.

The Lions added another run in the sixth before tacking on three more valuable insurance runs a frame later to extend their advantage to 17-11. During EMCC's clutch three-run seventh inning, Mitchell's second RBI double of the game was followed by Price's second two-run homer of the contest to give the Lions a six-run advantage.

To their credit, the Lady Trojans battled back in the final inning to get their first five batters to all reach base safely with a base hit sandwiched between two walks and a pair of hit batsmen. Delta managed to score four of those base runners to cut the deficit to two runs before EMCC freshman pitcher Reese Edwards came through to retire the next three hitters consecutively.

With EMCC's first five hitters in the lineup combining for 10 extra-base hits and 16 RBIs between them during the nightcap, Price was undoubtedly the game's hitting star with a pair of two-run home runs, a two-RBI double and a single in five plate appearances. The West Jones High School product and former Meridian CC transfer took over EMCC's home run lead (6) on the season with her second two-homer game in conference play this year.

Along with Price's 4-for-5 effort at the plate with six RBIs, Saucier, Bourgeois and Mitchell all added three hits apiece to headline the Lions' 17-hit attack in the second game against Delta.

In Wednesday's opening game at Mississippi Delta, the Lions outhit the Lady Trojans, 10-6, but could only manage solo scores in four separate innings against winning pitcher Callie Henderson.

While EMCC was unable to produce a multi-run inning in the opener, Delta scored its six runs during the second and third frames with the aid of a couple of costly defensive miscues by the Lions.

Saucier, Mitchell and Annagrace Stewart led EMCC with two hits apiece in the opening game.

In the circle, EMCC's Peterson held the Lady Trojans scoreless with only one hit allowed and four strikeouts during the last three innings of the opener in relief of fellow freshman Liberty Brown. Peterson, a Hancock High School product, then returned to the circle in the high-scoring nightcap to pitch a total of four innings during two separate stints en route to picking up her second win of the year in as many decisions.

Head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC Lions (9-15, 1-7 MACCC) return to the Scooba campus to play host to top-ranked Pearl River on Saturday (March 21). First pitch of the MACCC softball doubleheader is set for 1 p.m. at the EMCC Softball Field.