2026 EMCC Baseball News

Season
The East Mississippi baseball team following the Lions' season finale vs. Itawamba in the NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament
EMCC Lions fall 9-6 to No. 21 Itawamba in regional elimination game to close out 2026 season

East Mississippi Community College’s 2026 baseball season came to a close with a 9-6 setback to 21st-ranked Itawamba in Thursday’s elimination game of the NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament played at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex.

EMCC sophomore centerfielder Sam McClinton Jr.
EMCC Lions to meet 21st-ranked Itawamba in elimination game of NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament

Seeded seventh in this week's NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament, East Mississippi Community College will take on nationally 21st-ranked Itawamba during Thursday's weather-delayed elimination game being played at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex in Decatur. Delayed one day due to weather concerns on Wednesday, first pitch for Thursday's EMCC-ICC matchup is set for 6 p.m. following the 2 p.m. winners' bracket game between host and nationally second-ranked East Central and sixth-seeded Northwest Mississippi. 

EMCC sophomore shortstop Miles Mitchell celebrates one of his two home runs during the Lions' 9-5 play-in win over Northeast Mississippi in NJCAA Region 23 Tournament play.
EMCC Lions advance to NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament with 9-5 play-in win over Northeast Mississippi

The seventh-seeded Lions of East Mississippi Community College advanced to regional tournament play of the 2026 NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament with a 9-5 victory over 10th-seeded Northeast Mississippi during Monday's play-in game at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex in Decatur. EMCC moves on to meet nationally second-ranked and regional host East Central Community College during Tuesday's Game 1 of the four-team regional tournament to be played at 2 p.m.

2026 NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament Bracket (East Central Regional)
Seventh-seeded EMCC Lions set for East Central-hosted NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament

Set to make their fourth postseason baseball appearance in the last five years, the seventh-seeded Lions of East Mississippi Community College will take on No. 10 seed Northeast Mississippi during Monday’s (May 4) play-in game being played in Decatur. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at the Clark/Gay Baseball Complex on the campus of East Central Community College. The winner will advance to the four-team, double-elimination bracket of the ECCC-hosted 2026 NJCAA Region 23 Baseball Tournament.

Sophomore baseball players Caidan Bullard and Sam McClinton Jr. celebrate a home run during EMCC's 16-5 win over Mississippi Gulf Coast.
EMCC Lions earn crucial home doubleheader split with Mississippi Gulf Coast in home baseball finale

Aiming at securing their fourth postseason appearance over the past five years, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College moved another step closer to doing just that by earning a crucial home doubleheader split with Mississippi Gulf Coast during Sunday’s MACCC baseball action played at Gerald Poole Field. In a twin bill postponed a day due to the weekend’s weather forecast, EMCC bounced back with a 16-5 run-rule win in the nightcap after dropping the opener to the Bulldogs by the same score.

EMCC sophomore shortstop Miles Mitchell is congratulated at home plate by Sam McClinton Jr. following a home run vs. Northeast Mississippi.
EMCC Lions split home conference baseball doubleheader with Northeast Mississippi

In a pair of midweek run-rule decisions, East Mississippi Community College earned a home doubleheader split with Northeast Mississippi during Wednesday’s MACCC baseball action played at Gerald Poole Field. The Lions claimed a 13-3 victory in the opener before dropping a 12-1 nightcap decision to the visiting Tigers.

EMCC sophomore baseball pitcher Evan Hilliard
EMCC’s Evan Hilliard earns MACCC Pitcher of the Week honors after no-hitting Hinds in 10-0 shutout

East Mississippi Community College’s Evan Hilliard has been selected as the MACCC Baseball Pitcher of the Week for his masterful no-hit 10-0 shutout win against Hinds this past Saturday. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference as voted on by the league’s sports information directors.

EMCC baseball sophomores Evan Hilliard and Gabe Roberts celebrate a Lions victory
Evan Hilliard's nightcap no-hitter highlights EMCC's dominant road doubleheader baseball sweep at Hinds

East Mississippi Community College scored 26 unanswered runs and capped a dominating road doubleheader sweep over Hinds with Evan Hilliard's nightcap no-hitter to earn 16-6 and 10-0 run-rule victories during Saturday's MACCC baseball action played at Joe G. Moss Field.

EMCC baseball pitcher Jax Joyner
EMCC Lions maintain .500 season conference mark with baseball doubleheader split at Coahoma

The Lions of East Mississippi Community College maintained their .500 season record in conference play by collecting a road doubleheader split at Coahoma during Tuesday’s MACCC baseball action played at the Eddie C. Smith Sportsplex. EMCC claimed the opening game with a 14-3 run-rule victory, though the home-standing Tigers earned the split with an 11-5 win in the nightcap.

EMCC baseball post-game celebration photo
EMCC Lions bounce back to claim 6-5 walk-off nightcap win in key doubleheader split with No. 2 Jones College

The home-standing Lions of East Mississippi Community College battled back from a 5-0 nightcap deficit to claim a 6-5 extra-inning, walk-off win and earn a doubleheader split with nationally second-ranked Jones College during Saturday’s MACCC baseball action played at Gerald Poole Field. The Bobcats outlasted EMCC, 20-19, in the opening contest.

EMCC Lions drop baseball doubleheader at Copiah-Lincoln despite first-game comeback attempt
EMCC Lions drop baseball doubleheader at Copiah-Lincoln despite first-game comeback attempt

The visiting Lions of East Mississippi Community College dropped Friday’s MACCC baseball doubleheader against Copiah-Lincoln by falling 9-6 in the opening game on a walk-off homer before being run-ruled 11-1 by the Wolves in the nightcap at Walker R. Sullivan Field.

EMCC baseball player Miles Mitchell
EMCC Lions secure conference doubleheader split with 10-5 home baseball win over Itawamba

East Mississippi Community College earned a home conference doubleheader split with Itawamba by claiming a 10-5 opening-game win during Tuesday’s MACCC baseball action played at Gerald Poole Field. The visiting Indians prevailed over EMCC, 3-1, in the weather-delayed nightcap.

EMCC Lions notch third conference baseball sweep with 15-11, 11-6 home wins over Meridian
EMCC Lions notch third conference baseball sweep with 15-11, 11-6 home wins over Meridian

The Lions of East Mississippi Community College recorded their third conference sweep of the season with 15-11 and 11-6 home victories over Meridian Community College during Saturday’s MACCC baseball action played at EMCC’s Gerald Poole Field.

EMCC Lions battle No. 3 Pearl River to the wire before dropping baseball twin bill in Poplarville
EMCC Lions battle No. 3 Pearl River to the wire before dropping baseball twin bill in Poplarville

Visiting East Mississippi Community College nearly overcame an early offensive onslaught by third-ranked Pearl River to take the Wildcats down to the wire in both contests of Saturday’s MACCC baseball doubleheader played at Dub Herring Park. PRCC claimed both wins, 11-7 and 4-3, over the Lions to maintain its first-place lead among the conference standings.

EMCC Lions register second straight conference sweep with 7-1, 11-6 home baseball wins over Delta
EMCC Lions register second straight conference sweep with 7-1, 11-6 home baseball wins over Delta

The Lions of East Mississippi Community College closed out their successful week-long baseball home stand by sweeping Mississippi Delta, 7-1 and 11-6, during Tuesday’s MACCC action played at EMCC’s Gerald Poole Field.

EMCC Lions claim conference home doubleheader with baseball sweep over Southwest Mississippi
EMCC Lions claim conference home doubleheader with baseball sweep over Southwest Mississippi

In their home conference opener, the Lions of East Mississippi Community College earned a Sophomore Day sweep over Southwest Mississippi by claiming 8-2 and 3-1 wins during Saturday’s MACCC baseball action played at EMCC’s Gerald Poole Field.