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East Prairie slips past NMCC
EAST PRAIRIE -- Overcoming an early four-run deficit to win on a walk-off single in the seventh, the East Prairies Eagles sent visiting New Madrid County Central home disappointed after coming so close to its first win of the season.
Coming in to the bottom of the seventh having just tied up the game, NMCC saw it's chances slip away as East Prairie's Aaron Miller singled up the middle to drive in Nathan Maynard from second and give East Prairie the 6-5 win.
"It's frustrating, but at the same time we're going to get better," NMCC coach John Jones said. "What I feel so bad about these kids for is they come to practice everyday and work hard."
Early on in the contest, NMCC looked like they would roll to victory as their starter Jimmy Ash breezed through the first three innings without allowing a base runner.
In that same time frame, NMCC would put four runs on the board, two each in the second and third, thanks to singles by Denton Daugherty, Mike Darter, Kyle Harris and C.J. Chism all bringing in a run.
Unfortunately for NMCC, the tide would turn in the fourth as East Prairie would put up five combined runs in the fourth and fifth inning.
"We came out here today and we just put our foot on the pedal and didn't let up and then we got in there in the (fourth) and we just started letting off the gas and that's when they came back in and started getting us," NMCC's Darter said.
After both teams went scoreless in the sixth, NMCC would put up one last rally in the top of the seventh with Darter singling to start the inning and eventually crossing the plate on a fielder's choice to the second baseman by C.J. Chism.
East Prairie's game-winning run would come off Nathan Maynard walking to start the bottom of the seventh before stealing second with Zach Barker at the plate.
After Barker and the next batter Matt Morris both ended up with outs and not advancing Maynard, Aaron Miller stepped to the plate with one last chance to keep the game from going in to extra innings.
After drawing a 2-2 count, Miller hit a line drive base hit to shallow center that eventually went under the center fielder's glove allowing Maynard to cross the plate uncontested and East Prairie to take the win.
"Just to be able to hang in there and pull it out at the end says something about our team," East Prairie coach Gary Scott said. "We never give up."
Besides his game-winning hit, Miller had a huge game overall for East Prairie, going 3-for-4 on the afternoon while driving in three.
Though coming to the mound in a save situation in the seventh, Connor Scott ended up picking up the win, his third on the season, while Denton Daugherty took the loss going the final two innings in relief for NMCC.
In looking at the positives through his team's six game skid, Jones said he's impressed with the progress he's seen from his team and has no doubt a win is just around the corner.
"I think our kids have matured each and every game," he said. "They're seeing the little things that they weren't seeing the first couple of games.
"They're doing everything a coaching staff can ask of them. They're going to get that win hopefully tomorrow night at Caruthersville."
Starting pitcher Jimmy Ash echoed his coaches sentiments.
"I believe we made a lot of improvements since (our last) game," he said. "We're getting better and better. We're for sure going to start winning sometime."
NMCC 022 000 1 - 5
East Prairie 000 220 1 - 6
WP -- Connor Scott (3-0). LP -- Denton Daugherty (0-1) Multiple hits -- Mike Darter, (N), 2-4, Aaron Miller, (E), 3-4. Extra-base hits -- 2B: Gabe Smith, (N), Matt Doris, (E), Miller, (E), Scott.