Pictured above-Jake Mills of Abbeville, Miss., slides into third base after a three run RBI shot in the bottom of the second inning against Hinds CC on February 25, 2009 at Harold T. White Field.

February 26, 2009

NEMCC BASEBALL SPLITS DOUBLE HEADER WITH HINDS

BOONEVILLE, MISS.--Northeast Mississippi Community College catcher Brock Foster squatted behind the plate for eight innings in Northeast’s nightcap with Hinds Wednesday evening.

Foster, a 5-7, 170-pound freshman from New Albany made sure he wouldn’t be behind the dish for a second extra inning frame. Foster laced a Josh Clarke offering up the middle in the bottom of the eighth inning chasing home John Stephens as the Tigers earned a split with Hinds 5-4 in eight innings at Harold T. White Field in Booneville.

After giving up a run in the top of the eighth, Northeast earned the split with a pair of digits in the bottom of the inning.

Daniel Tunnell led the Tiger comeback when he picked up a lead-off single to start the inning. University of North Alabama-signee Nick McGregor did his job and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Tunnell into scoring position.

Stevens, who was the eventual winning run, knotted the game at 4-all when his rocket bounced through the Hinds infield and Tunnell was able to motor home.

One batter later, a single by Jake Mills set the Tigers up for the game winner. Foster stepped to the plate against the Hinds side-armer and rifled one through the middle allowing Stephens to score from second.

Freshman Brandon Farley carried the load for the Tigers pitching seven-plus innings before giving way to save specialist Patrick Hinton with two men on in the top of the eighth.

In the opener, Northeast Mississippi Community College Head Baseball Coach Kent Farris started pitcher Jon Andy Scott against the visiting Eagles in hopes of remaining undefeated for the start of the 2009 season.

Scott (1-1) threw five innings before being relieved by freshman pitcher B.J. Cox of Mantachie High School.  Cox (5-10, 167) failed to get the save as the Tigers (5-1) dropped game one to Hinds Community College on a score of 4-3.

Hinds scored two runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead while Northeast remained scoreless until the bottom of the second.

In the second, Mills (Abbeville) laced a bases-loaded triple to the wall in center field clearing the bases with his three-RBI shot putting Northeast up 3-2.

However, the Tigers lead would be short lived as the Eagles quickly responded with two runs in the top of the third to put the score back in its favor 4-3.

Northeast had a chance to rally in the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second and freshman Larry Roscoe from Wayne County High School at the plate. 

With just one out and a 1-2 count, Roscoe hit a line drive towards second base that allowed Hinds to pick up a double play and seal the game on the final score of 4-3 for game one.

Starting pitcher Zach Kelt (2-1) got the win in game one for Hinds Community College.

Farris and his team will be back at home on Saturday, February 28, to face Gulf Coast Community College at 11 a.m. and then will play again at 5 p.m. facing John Wood (Ill.). 

The Tigers will face John Wood again on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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