Tigers Earn Two More Wins at Home

Marion, AL. - The MMI baseball team picked up two more wins at home yesterday afternoon, defeating the Eagles from Coastal Alabama Community College-North by scores of 4-0 and 12-4.

Game 1: MMI 4 Coastal-North 0

Sophomore Marquez Oates pitched a complete game; a three-hit shutout to earn the win for Marion in game one of the afternoon doubleheader. 

Marion scored four runs in the second inning to give Oates the cushion he needed.  Devne Daniel started the scoring off with a solo homerun to deep left field.  Cole Beck drew a walk and Jonathan Johnson bunted in the Tiger's next at-bat.  Johnson was safe at first after no one from Coastal Alabama covered the base.  With one out, Samuel Clement scored Beck with a hit to left field.  Clement moved to second on an error and Johnson was standing at third when a two out hit by David Sweat plated both runs.

Game 2: MMI 12 Coastal-North 4

The Eagles from Coastal- North scored in their first at-bat but the Tigers rallied to score three runs in the bottom half of the first inning.  Matthew Marfice earned a two-out walk and was moved to third on a double by Devne Daniel.  Cole Beck walked to load the bases for freshman infielder Jonathan Johnson.  Johnson got a hit down the third base line and scored two runs.  Michael Pittmon followed with a basehit and scored Beck.

CACC-North added a run in the top of the second to cut into Marion's lead.  The Tigers followed with a run in their next at-bat to keep the Eagles at bay.  Weston Ball was safe on an error and was moved to third on a bunt by Sweat.  Andrew Mercier hit back to the pitcher and scored Ball.

Marion added another three runs in the third inning.  Beck got a hit and Pittmon walked to put runners on first and second for freshman left fielder Nicholas Davis.  Davis hit a homerun over the left field fence to give Marion a 7-4 lead. 

Four more runs were added to the Tiger's side of the score board in the fifth inning.  Johnson was walked and Pittmon sacrificed him to second.  Davis doubled and scored Johnson.  With two outs Sweat walked and Davis was able to score when a ball got by the catcher.  Mercier got a hit and moved to third on an errant throw; Daniel brought two runs in off a base hit up the middle.

With the score 11-4, head coach Matt Downs substituted Jacob Harris into the game and he earned a walk to lead the sixth inning.  Pittmon recorded another hit in his next plate appearance.  With one out, Weston Ball drove in Harris to give Marion the 12-4 lead heading into the final inning.

Jax Morris started the second game for Marion on the mound and worked four complete innings.  Coleton Barnes worked two innings in relief and Jarrett Carter closed out the seventh inning to improve MMI's record to 9-3.

MMI will travel to Monroeville, Alabama this Friday, March 1, for a rematch with Coastal Alabama CC-North.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.