Meridian rallies by West
By By Carver Rayburn / staff writer
April 11, 2003
It was all about numbers at John Moss Field on Thursday night.
The No. 10-ranked Meridian High School Wildcats wrapped up their third consecutive district 5-5A title and won their 20th game of the season with a 2-0 shutout over the Brandon Bulldogs.
The Wildcats (20-4, 6-0) have not lost a district game in over two years and showed the visiting Bulldogs (17-6, 5-2) why on Thursday evening with a stellar defensive effort.
Nursing a 2-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning, Brandon third baseman Matt Scoggin slapped a hard groundball up the middle that looked to be a sure single for the Bulldogs.
But senior second baseman Maurice Cole made a sliding stop, spun and threw the runner out at first by about five-feet.
Meridian added more highlight footage for their home-made defensive clinic in the top of the seventh.
Brandon shortstop Jefferey Parker reached first base with a single to left to bring Scoggin to the plate to represent the tying run.
Meridian sophomore right-hander Kyle Boswell got Scoggin to ground out to senior shortstop Richmond Alexander who flipped the ball to Cole who threw out the runner first for the 6-4-3 double play to end the game and give the Wildcats their 12th straight district win.
Boswell and Brandon pitcher Kyle Sephton duked it out on the mound for the first four innings of play, until Meridian used percentage baseball to get on the board in the bottom of the fourth.
Cole led-off the inning with a hot shot to the shortstop that was mishandled and reached first safely.
McLemore called for a sac bunt by senior right fielder Ricky McMillian to move Cole into scoring position.
The percentage coaching paid off and senior Bobby Stone stepped up with an RBI double to right to get the Wildcats on the board.
Lance Burnham brought in another Wildcats' run with a single to center later in the inning.
Boswell finished the night going the distance giving up five hits, no walks and striking out nine.
Meridian will face off in a double-header Friday afternoon against Columbus in their final regular season home game of the year. The Wildcats will honor their seven seniors between the first and second game.
Meridian seniors taking the field for the last time at John Moss in the regular-season game include: Maurice Cole, Tyler Maxwell, Quintin Warren, Richmond Alexander, Lance Burnham, Ricky McMillian and Bobby Stone.
By winning the 5-5A district title, the Wildcats have clinched home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs next weekend. Meridian will either play Moss Point or Pascagoula.
