EMCC Lions fall short in competitive softball twinbill at No. 13 Northwest Mississippi
In a pair of competitive contests, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College dropped two tough decisions at 13th-ranked Northwest Mississippi during Wednesday’s MACCC softball doubleheader played in Senatobia. EMCC held early leads over the Rangers in both contests before falling 8-7 in eight innings in the opener and 6-3 in the nightcap.
SENATOBIA – In a pair of competitive contests, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College dropped two tough decisions at 13th-ranked Northwest Mississippi during Wednesday's MACCC softball doubleheader played in Senatobia. EMCC held early leads over the Rangers in both contests before falling 8-7 in eight innings in the opener and 6-3 in the nightcap.
In the opening game, the home-standing Rangers grabbed a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first inning before EMCC put together a four-run fourth frame. Sasha King's two-run home run - her team-leading fourth homer of the year - off Northwest starting pitcher Morgen Brewton was sandwiched between doubles by twins Karen and Gail Wisher. Later in the inning, the visitors followed with a run-scoring groundout by Raylea Atkinson and an RBI single from Brianna Byrd to move ahead 4-1.
Northwest answered to knot the score in the home half of the fourth inning with Aubrey Massing's three-run homer off EMCC starting pitcher Gail Wisher. The Rangers added another run the following frame on Sommer Tyes' leadoff home run to reclaim the lead at 5-4.
After the combined seven-run fourth inning between the two teams, the seventh inning saw five total runs scored and provided a swing of emotions. EMCC started the eventful frame by taking a temporary 7-5 lead with Victoria Irby's two-run triple followed by Karen Wisher's sacrifice fly. Byrd and Rachel Rommel opened the Lions' go-ahead inning with consecutive singles to begin the rally.
As they did in the fourth inning, the Rangers responded in the home half of the seventh by pushing across the game-tying runs on Massing's two-run single to extend the contest tied at 7-7.
Brewton returned to the circle for Northwest in the extra frame and retired the Lions in order. The outcome was quickly decided in the home half of the eighth inning when Ellie Fryar belted the Rangers' third home run of the game with a leadoff walk-off blast to center field.
EMCC's nine-hit team effort in the opening game was paced by two-hit outings from Byrd, Karen Wisher and Gail Wisher. Five of the Lions' nine hits were for extra bases.
Despite their heartbreaking, extra-inning setback in the opening game, the Lions bounced right back with a three-run first frame off Brewton. Madison Newburn's RBI single was followed by Savannah Fralix's two-run double to give the visitors an early 3-0 lead.
Brewton settled down in the circle following EMCC's initial offensive surge to allow only four baserunners the rest of the second game. Just one Lion baserunner was able to get into scoring position off the Rangers' ace over the last six innings of the nightcap.
Northwest added insurance runs off EMCC starting pitcher Allee Bennett in the third and sixth innings to account for the final margin. Lulu Franks had an RBI double in the third, while Madison Weeks' pinch-hit RBI double in the sixth was followed by a run-scoring groundout from Thenya Kennedy.
Byrd once again led EMCC's hitters in the second game with two more singles to give the sophomore outfielder a combined 4-for-7 afternoon on the day.
Bidding to earn one of 10 available spots in the upcoming softball postseason playoffs, head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC Lions (12-22, 8-14 MACCC) travel to nationally 16th-ranked Pearl River on Friday (April 18) before closing out their regular-season softball slate next week by playing host to Mississippi Delta and Southwest Mississippi on Wednesday (April 23) and Saturday (April 26), respectively.