By By SCOTT COOPER – Sports Writer
The Jefferson Davis Warhawks began conference play when they hosted Alabama Southern Community College in a March 18 double-header. After securing a victory in the opener, the Warhawks were victims of a nearly flawless performance by the Alabama Southern pitcher in the nightcap.
With the twin bill split, JDCC is 9-14 on the season and 1-1 in the conference.
Warhawks 5, Alabama Southern 2
The Warhawks received an outstanding pitching performance from Eli Himes and swung the bats with authority in an opening-game win.
JDCC wasted little time jumping out to a lead, as Josh Hasty singled in the first inning before being driven home by John Huval's base hit that gave the Warhawks a 1-0 lead.
Alabama Southern tied the game at 1-1 with a solo home run in the second inning, but the Warhawks answered in the bottom of the third.
Leon Brasington singled to get things going, and then came home later in the inning on Steven Cadenhead's RBI single that allowed JDCC to regain the lead at 2-1.
Not content to sit on the lead, the Warhawks added to the total in both the fifth and sixth innings. Steven Walls' two-RBI base hit padded the cushion to 4-1 in the fifth before a fielder's choice by J.B. Blair accounted for another run and a 5-1 advantage at the end of six.
Alabama Southern added a run in the top of the seventh inning, but it was a case of too, little, too late as the Warhawks put the wraps on a 5-2 win.
Eli Himes went the distance in notching the win, allowing six hits while striking-out four.
Paving the way for the Warhawks offensively were Steven Cadenhead, 2-for-3 with one RBI; Josh Hasty, 2-for-3; Adam Comalander, 2-for-3; John Huval, 1-for-3 with one RBI and Steven Walls, 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Alabama Southern 3, Warhawks 0
Riding the one-hit performance of its starting pitcher, Alabama Southern got even in the nightcap and exited the double-header with a split.
Three base hits coupled with a JDCC walk and error were responsible for Alabama Southern taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
While the two teams settled into a defensive duel over the next several innings, the score remained unchanged through the sixth. But, Alabama Southern took advantage of two singles in the seventh that contributed to another run and ended the scoring at 3-0.
Steven Cadenhead went 1-for-2 to lead the Warhawks' offense.