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.
May 6, 2026
DECATUR — 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.
Making their fourth postseason appearance in the last five years, the Lions advanced to regional tournament bracket play by virtue of Monday's 9-5 play-in victory over 10th-seeded Northeast Mississippi. The following day, EMCC dropped an 8-3 decision to the second-seeded East Central Warriors to fall into the losers' bracket. Northwest topped Itawamba, 12-6, during Tuesday's Game 2 to set up Thursday's elimination contest between the Lions and Indians.
Thursday's EMCC-ICC matchup will be live-streamed at ECCClive.com/gold beginning at 6 p.m. in Decatur.
During Tuesday's Game 1, the home-standing Warriors grabbed a quick 3-0 lead on Pablo Roque's three-run homer in the first inning off EMCC starting pitcher Evan Hilliard.
The visitors countered in their next at-bat by manufacturing three runs in the top of the second to knot the score. ECCC starting pitcher Landry Winter loaded the bases with a trio of free passes. After allowing Braxton Whiteside and Jack Willis to reach base via hit-by-pitches, Gabe Roberts earned a walk to set up EMCC's first scoring opportunity of the game. Following Hunter Russell's run-scoring fielder's choice, Sam McClinton Jr. smacked a two-out, two-RBI triple to tie the game at 3-3.
That was the only scoring the Lions were able to produce in the contest, however, as Winter pitched eight solid innings before giving way to Jack Bradberry in the ninth for a seventh straight scoreless frame by ECCC's pitching tandem. In contrast, EMCC sent five pitchers to the mound across eight innings.
Offensively, the Warriors also sandwiched a three-run fifth inning between solo scores in the fourth and seventh frames to collect the five-run victory over the Lions.
The day prior in Monday's play-in game between East Mississippi and Northeast, the Lions and Tigers were tied, 4-4, midway through the contest before EMCC claimed a four-run victory (9-5) to advance into the four-team regional bracket.
