Wildcats down Trojans

By By Jamie Sullivan/staff writer
March 10, 2002
The Meridian Wildcats and the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans braved the rain showers Saturday afternoon to face-off in a heated cross-county rivalry. The Cats took the decision 13-2 in five innings at Northeast.
The Cats struck first, when Maurice Cole reached base on a single. He later stole second base, and was driven in by Tyler Maxwell. After Cole's score, the bases were loaded one-by-one, bringing up John Iverson.
Iverson cleared the bases with a grand slam to put the Cats up 5-0. Iverson drove in Maxwell, Richmond Alexander, and John Stevens.
In the third inning, the Wildcats got three runs on three hits to make the score 8-0 after two and a half innings.
The homestanding Trojans got their runs in the fourth inning, when Chad Brunson got on base with a single to left field.
Steven Dyess came on as the courtesy runner for Brunson, and later scored on a double by Drew Anderson. Anderson was then driven in by by a J.R. Smith double to right field. The score stood 8-2 Meridian.
The Wildcats knew what they had to do in the fifth inning to close out the game, and they done just that, behind a Torry Bates home run.
Lance Burnham reached first base on a walk, he later scored on a double by Maxwell. Maxwell later scored on a fielder choice to make the score 10-2.
With two outs, and two Wildcat runners on base, Bates unloaded on a pitch form Kenny Wesley. Bates sent the ball over the left field wall to seal the deal for Meridian.
The 10-4 Wildcats were led in hitting by Maxwell with two doubles, Cole with a double and a single, Iverson with a grand slam, and Bates with a homer.
NEL was led in hitting by Brunson with a double and two singles, and Anderson and Smith with a double apiece.
Adam Leister suffered the loss, while Quinten Warren recorded the win.