April 6, 2009

NORTHEAST’S HINTON BACK IN NATIONAL LEAD

BOONEVILLE, Miss. – A good Saturday outing was all Northeast Mississippi Community College sophomore pitcher Patrick Hinton needed.

Hinton moved back into a tie for the national lead in saves after falling a game back during the week.

Hinton came on to pitch a pair of innings in Northeast’s 6-5 win versus Holmes Community College on Saturday, April 4 notching his eighth save of the year.

Earlier in the week, Mike Ciombor of Paradise Valley Community College jumped Hinton for the national lead but Ciombor’s lead did not last for long.

Hinton came on in the first game against Holmes on Saturday in a 6-6 contest, picked up his second win of the year after not allowing a run, and then registered his eighth save of the year in the nightcap.

Hinton has yet to give up a run during his 10 appearances in the 2009 season for the Tigers. The former Kossuth High School standout has allowed only five hits on the year in his 14 innings of work.

Hinton is tied for the national lead with Ciombor and Joe Seagraves of Mott Community College who picked up a save over the weekend to tie for the national lead.

Ciombor has taken 29 games to reach his eighth save while Seagraves registered his eighth save in 12 games on the year.

Both Ciombor and Seagraves have earn run averages higher than Hinton’s 0.00 with Ciombor checking in with a 0.931 ERA and Seagraves hitting a 2.077 ERA on the 2009 season.

Hinton has a chance to take over sole possession in the nation when the Northeast Tigers battle Mississippi Delta Community College in a North Division doubleheader at Harold T. White Field in Booneville on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

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