By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Losing two out of three over the weekend to the visiting Central Alabama Trojans is hardly a knockout blow for the Jefferson Davis Community College Warhawks baseball team in its quest to make the state playoff field.
The series loss did make JDCC's road much tougher and that road will now take the Warhawks on the road for nine of their final 12 league games.
The Warhawks were swept in Saturday's doubleheader series finale, as the Trojans posted a 5-3 win in game one and a 4-0 victory in game two.
JDCC was not able to overcome a three-run rally by Central Alabama in the top of the first inning of game one. The Trojans used a fielder's choice, a walk, an RBI single by Myles Hoyle and an RBI sacrifice by Robbie Pritchard.
JDCC got one of those runs back in the third when Ryan Kelley reached on an error, went to second on a sacrifice by David Washington, went to third on a single by Jesse Edwards and scored on a single by Steven Bingert.
Both teams traded runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The Trojans extended their lead to 4-1 in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Bryan Martin.
JDCC pulled within 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth when Washington reached on an error and Edwards singled him home.
Justin Williams' RBI single in the seventh gave the Trojans a 5-2 lead, but JDCC matched that run in the bottom of the seventh when Kelley doubled and scored on a single by Edwards that made it 5-3.
Tim Horne allowed just four hits over seven and one-third innings of work, but took the loss.
The Warhawks were almost completely shut down by Trojans pitcher Josh Porter in game two.
Porter faced just three batters above the minimum, as he tossed a complete game three-hitter with four strikeouts.
The only mild threat JDCC mustered came in the bottom of the fifth inning after Central Alabama had already built its four-run cushion. The Warhawks got a one-out single by Kyle Snedeker a two-out infield single by George Cook, but Porter escaped further trouble when he got David Washington to line out to second base.
JDCC earlier had two runners reach base in the third inning, but at separate times. Daniel Hodge reached on an error to start the inning, but was erased when Cook hit into a double play. Washington got a two-out single, but Jesse Edwards flew out to end the inning.
JDCC starting pitcher Michael Maraldo pitched well enough to win on several days. Maraldo gave up only six hits and struck out four in five innings of work.
The Trojans took a 2-0 lead in the third after the JDCC defense committed two errors and Justin Williams stroked an RBI single.
Central Alabama doubled that lead to 4-0 in the fifth on a two-run single by Dustin Green.
JDCC heads to East Mississippi College today for a 2 p.m. doubleheader. The Warhawks get back into ACCC action Friday with a 2 p.m. contest at Faulkner State.
Game one
C. Alabama 300 001 100 - 5 5 2
JDCC 001 010 100 - 3 6 1
Game two
C. Alabama 002 020 0 - 4 7 1
JDCC 000 000 0 - 0 3 2