Baseball Improves to 13-1-1 with Sweep of Southeastern Illinois
Marion, AL. - The MMI baseball team improved its record to 13-1-1 after capturing two more wins Saturday afternoon. The Tigers defeated the Falcons from Southeastern Illinois 5-1 and 8-0.
Game One - Freshman Dennis McKinley took to the hill in game one of the Saturday doubleheader. Despite some early control issues, McKinley only allowed one run in three innings of work. The Falcons scored first in the first inning. The Tigers tied the game in the third inning when Logan Nix started a rally with an infield hit. Mason Gilliland sacrificed Nix to second and an error by the Falcons allowed Nix to score.
Freshman Justin Orr relieved McKinley in the fifth inning and held the Falcons scoreless for two innings.
The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth inning when Marions' bats started to come alive. Weston Hopkins was hit by a pitch, and was moved to third on a double by Jackson Cofer. Carson McGregory hit a single to right field, scoring both Hopkins and Cofer. Logan Taylor added two more runs by blasting a two-run homerun beyond the left field fence. Alex Weeks finished the game on the mound for MMI, surrendering one hit while striking out the last batter.
Game Two - Sophomore Blake Teel started game two for the Tigers. Teel struck out three batters while giving up just two hits in four innings of work. Marion jumped out early in the bottom of the first inning with three runs. Jonah Todd walked to start the game; Mason Gilliland was hit by a pitch. Jackson Cofer singled to score Todd and advanced to second on a throwing error. Carson McGregory singled to right field, scoring Gilliland and Cofer. Marion added one more run in the third inning when Logan Taylor's double scored McGregory.
Freshman Conner Bell saw his first action on the mound for MMI. He pitched the fifth inning and after walking the first batter got some defensive help with a 6-4-3 double play. He got the next batter to hit to the short stop for an easy putout. The bottom half of that inning saw the Tigers plate another run. McGregory and Tanner Wallace both earned first base after being hit by a pitch. Chase Hamrick hit a single to right field and scored McGregory.
Freshman Justin Cottingham relieved Bell for the sixth inning and once again held the Falcons scoreless. Marion added two more runs in that inning. Dillon Calhoun was hit by a pitch and moved to second on an error. Brett Lightsey got a base hit which scored Calhoun. Jacob Elkins reached on an error and was brought around by Cole Lepchitz.
Freshman Ryan Burkett closed out the game on the mound for the Tigers, pitching to just three batters; striking out two.
MMI will host Coahoma Community College in a doubleheader Friday, 26. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.