DECATUR, Miss. — East Central Community College delivered one of its most explosive offensive performances in recent memory Wednesday evening, overwhelming Meridian Community College 29-18 before completing a sweep with a 13-9 win over East Mississippi earlier in the day.
The nightcap against Meridian quickly turned into an offensive showcase, but it did not start that way for the Warriors.
Meridian stormed out to a six-run lead in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on early opportunities to put East Central on its heels. Instead of folding, the Warriors immediately responded. East Central scored once in the bottom of the first and added four more in the second to trim the deficit to one.
From there, the bats never cooled.
Mason Hickman led the charge, finishing 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, five RBIs and six runs scored. Hickman also drew two walks, reaching base in all six plate appearances and consistently sparking rallies from the middle of the lineup.
Jackson White turned in a huge performance as well, going 4-for-6 with two doubles and four RBIs. White consistently drove the ball into the gaps and delivered multiple timely hits as the Warriors began to separate.
Pablo Roque added four hits and four RBIs, while Xavier Myles powered the offense with a home run and six RBIs. Myles' ability to drive the ball to all fields proved critical in breaking open a game that remained high-scoring throughout the middle innings.
Briceton Johnson collected four hits and two RBIs, and Davin Lowery added three hits, including a home run, and drove in two. Will Williams chipped in two RBIs, and Ryan Nelson added an RBI as East Central scored 29 runs on 23 hits.
After cutting the early deficit, the Warriors continued to apply pressure in nearly every inning. East Central plated two in the fourth, four in the sixth and exploded for nine in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
On the mound, the Warriors used a staff approach after the early first-inning surge by Meridian. Andrew Nielsen got the start before multiple arms combined to stabilize the game. Luke Williams earned the win in relief, working 1.1 scoreless innings and striking out four to close the door late.
Despite allowing 18 runs, East Central's offense ensured the outcome was never in doubt once the lineup found its rhythm.
Earlier in the day, the Warriors rallied past East Mississippi 13-9 in the opener.
East Central trailed 6-4 after three innings before erupting for three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth to seize control. Hickman once again led the way with three RBIs, while White and Myles each drove in multiple runs. Will Williams and Lowery both homered in the contest.
Cade Morrow earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings to steady the game during a pivotal stretch.
Across both games, the Warriors showed resilience and offensive depth. After surrendering early runs in each matchup, East Central responded with aggressive at-bats, timely extra-base hits and disciplined approaches at the plate.
The 42-run output across the doubleheader highlighted the depth of the lineup and the Warriors' ability to flip momentum quickly. With contributions throughout the order and key innings from the bullpen, East Central turned an early deficit into a statement day at the plate and carried that energy through both games in Decatur.