BOONEVILLE, Miss.--Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball coach Kent Farris has seen his 2008 squad jump out to a 10-6 record, thanks to the Tigers' recent spurt winning 5 of the last 6 games, as well as a team batting average (.310) that is currently 8th best in the nation according to the NJCAA.

In winning 5-of-6 recently, Northeast's hitters have put up double-digit run totals in three of those victories.

"We're a pretty confident ball club right now," said Farris. "We still have to make some major improvements before division play starts but we're on the right track."

Sophomore Chase Porch (Blue Springs) and sophomore Jason Chism (Pontotoc) have helped the Tigers outscore opponents 54-30 over the last six games by hitting home-runs. Porch currently is 2nd in the nation with six home-runs, and Chism is tied with nine others around the country with three homers.

During the recent winning stretch, the Tigers have also enjoyed long-balls from freshman catcher Phillip Chapman (Clinton), and sophomore first-baseman David Ellison (Houston).

On the mound, freshman closer Patrick Hinton (Kossuth) is 7th in the nation with a 1.000 era., 2nd in the nation in strike-outs per inning (1.667), and tied for second in the nation in saves (2) with his Northeast Tigers teammate, sophomoreWes Dotson from Tishomingo County High School.

Farris' Tigers will travel to Scooba, Miss. on Saturday, March 8, to play one game each versus East Mississippi Communtiy College and Co-Lin Community College, before hitting the road again for a double-header versus Hinds CC on Monday, March 10, followed by a home double-header on Tuesday, March 11, against defending state champion East Central Community College that will begin at 1 p.m. at Harold T. White field in Booneville.

Northeast will open MACJC (Mississippi Association of Community/Junior Colleges) North Division play at home on Tuesday, March 18, with a double-header versus Mississippi Delta Community College.

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