The East Mississippi Community College baseball team received the atypical Saturday off Thursday afternoon.
The Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College ordered the Lions to forfeit Saturday’s scheduled North Division doubleheader at Coahoma C.C.
The MACJC issued that penalty Thursday in response to an incident Wednesday in the second game of a MACJC North Division doubleheader against Northeast Mississippi C.C. in Booneville. EMCC won the opening game of the doubleheader, 11-2. The second game was suspended with EMCC leading 5-2 in the top half of the fourth inning after both teams were involved in a brawl.
In an email to The Dispatch, MACJC Commissioner Jim Southward said, “This incident has been reviewed by the MACJC and based upon the reports from the umpires and schools involved it has been determined that both teams will be suspended for the next two games and will be required to forfeit those games. This follows NJCAA procedure for these types of altercations.”
EMCC baseball coach Chris Rose couldn’t be reached Thursday night for comment. NEMCC coach Kent Farris declined comment when asked Wednesday night by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
The only report of a brawl happening is from a tweet on the official Northeast Mississippi CC Media Relations account which read “BB game has been called with two outs in the top of the fourth after the brawl.” Neither school has a release about the games on their websites.
NEMCC also will forfeit its North Division doubleheader scheduled for Saturday against Itawamba C.C. ICC still will honor former baseball coach Roy Cresap with the re-naming of its facility to the Roy Cresap Baseball Field. The ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Indians will scrimmage in Fulton after the presentation.
With Saturday’s defeats added to its total, EMCC is 11-16 and 2-7 in division play. EMCC will play host to Mississippi Delta C.C. in a 4 p.m. Tuesday in a North Division doubleheader at Scooba.
EMCC and NEMCC are scheduled to complete their season series April 21 in Scooba.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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