Marion, AL - The MMI baseball team earned a split with Coastal Alabama CC-East yesterday to open the 2021 season.

Game 1 - MMI 4 Coa-East 6

Coastal Alabama plated a run in their first at-bat with Marion's Mason Elmore earning the start on the mound.  The Tigers took the lead in the bottom half of the inning, 4-1, after Jordan Moore started the game with a walk.  Colton Lunceford blasted a two-run home run over left centerfield fence.  Michael Rich was hit by a pitch.  Hunter Stowe earned a one-out walk and Nicholas Copen scored Rich with a base hit.  An error allowed Denzell Moore to reach base, scoring Stowe.  

The War Hawks scored a run in the second inning to cut the lead in half.  They took the lead after scoring four runs in the sixth inning.  The Tigers had their chances in the bottom of the sixth inning after loading the bases with one out but  could not capitalize on some War Hawk errors.

Pitching in relief for MMI were: John Allen, Jackson Knox and Jaxson Lucas.

Game 2 - MMI 7 Coa-East 4

Caleb Junkin, a Sipsey Valley HS graduate, took the mound for MMI in game two and gave up three runs in three innings of work.  Harrison Poplin and Joshua Mehmen saw action in relief for the Tigers in the win.

Nicholas Freeman earned a leadoff walk in Marion's first at-bat and scored on a Michael Rich base hit to tie the game 1-1.  MMI added four runs in the next inning as Nicholas Copen started the rally with a base hit.  Nicholas Davis connected for a two-run home run over left field fence.  Christian Wright was hit by a pitch and Mason Green followed with a walk.  Freeman reached base with a hit to load the bases.  Wright scored on a pass ball.  The Tigers held a 5-2 lead.

MMI matched the one run production from Coastal-East in the fourth inning as Mason Green and Nicholas Freeman earned back-to-back walks.  Lunceford reached on an error. Rich hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Green.

With the War Hawks' bats going silent in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, the Tigers added another run in the sixth inning.  Freeman reached on an error and moved to second on a pass ball.  Rich moved the runner to third and Hunter Stowe's base hit scored Freeman for the final run.

MMI will host Bishop State CC this Friday for another ACCC North/South doubleheader.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. at the Scott G. Davis Field.