Eagles split two with Delgado

By Staff
From staff reports
April 14, 2002
NEW ORLEANS Thanks to a split with Miss-Lou Conference foe Delgado Community College on Saturday, the visiting Meridian Community College Eagles know exactly what they have to do to qualify for the six-team Region 23 Baseball Tournament set for MCC's Scaggs Field May 9-12.
Meridian, which won the nightcap 9-1 after dropping the opener 7-3, must beat Bossier Parish two-out-of three next weekend to finish second in the Miss-Lou Conference. Delgado clinched first place by picking up its eighth league win of the season in the opener.
Although an MCC win in today's series finale against Delgado would give the Eagles four league wins to just three for Bossier, if the two teams were to finish tied for second after next weekend's series, MCC would finish third due to the head-to-head tiebreaker. Bossier took two-of-three from MCC at Scaggs Field earlier this season.
Sophomore catcher Chad Bradley had a big day at the plate for the 16-21 Eagles on Saturday.
After hitting his first homer of the season in the opening-game loss, the left-handed hitter banged out a double and homer in the nightcap as the Eagles picked up 12 hits and won behind the three-hit pitching of Todd Doolittle (5-2).
Adam Smith had three hits for MCC in the game, while Brian Page and Lance Dawkins had a double each.
MCC scored two runs in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth on the way to building an 8-0 lead against the Dolphins.
The first game saw Delgado score three runs in the first and three more in the third to jump out to a quick lead. The Dolphins had 14 hits in the game, while MCC had just four.
Bradley and Adam Smith had solo homers in the game for MCC, while Wes Shows belted a double.
Nathan Feder had two doubles and two singles for Delgado. Justin Rayborn took the loss on the hill for MCC.
After playing Delgado in a single game today, the Eagles return to action on Wednesday when they host Shelton State in a doubleheader.
Austin Bishop