Tigers Split with Bishop State
Marion, AL. - The MMI baseball team split a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against Bishop State Community College with the Wildcats taking game one in extra innings by a score of 1-0. Marion rebounded in game two with an easy five-inning 20-1 victory.
Game One: MMI 0 BSCC 1 (8 innings)
Neither team could score until the Wildcats plated the game's only run in the top half of the eighth inning. With a runner on third base and two outs, the Wildcats laid down a perfect squeeze bunt down third base line to give them the one-run advantage. After sophomore Weston Ball led off for Marion in the bottom of the inning with a double, he was left stranded at second and the Wildcats took the win. Besides Ball's double, the Tigers' bats remained silent most of the game with Duncan McReath collecting their only other hit.
Jax Morris, the Tiger's starting pitcher, threw seven innings with no runs, two hits and one walk. He struck seven batters. Jenson Barker recorded the loss giving up two hits and one run while striking out one batter.
Game To: MMI 20 BSCC 1 (5 innings)
After being held scoreless in their first at-bat, the MMI Tigers scored 10 runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a commanding lead in game two of Saturday's doubleheader. Colton Lunceford led off the inning with a walk. Duncan McReath sacrificed Lunceford to second and Ball reached first on an error; Lunceford scored the Tiger's first run of the day. Christian Wright was hit by a pitch. He was followed by Bryson Kirk, Drew Mercier, Michael Rich, and Nicholas Davis who all reached on walks. Colton Lunceford added four more runs with a towering grand slam to left field to give Marion an 8-0 lead. McReath walked and was moved to third on a wild throw. Trenton Justice walked and Weston Ball followed with a base hit to drive in the 10th run of the inning.
The Tigers added four more runs in the third inning when Mercier led off with a walk. Michael Rich and Colton Lunceford each recorded hits and McReath was hit by a pitch with bases loaded. Another run scored for Marion on a wild pitch. Tigers were up 14-0, giving starting pitcher Mason Elmore plenty of run support.
With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Landon Nix started another scoring rally with an infield base hit. Heath Bolton doubled, scoring Nix. Justice was hit by a pitch and Hayden Murray followed with a walk; Tigers scored their 16th run. Christian Wright doubled to add two more runs. Bryson Kirk hit into a fielder's choice, scoring a run for MMI. Mercier's infield hit allowed the 20th run to score.
The top of the fifth inning saw Jordan Moore go to the mound in relief of Elmore. The Wildcats were able to score their only run on an error and Moore ended the game with a strikeout, his second of the inning. Elmore earned the win surrendering two hits and one walk with two strikeouts.