Booneville, Miss. - Austin Marlin had not felt a home run launch of his bat in nearly three years. But that all changed in one swing during a pivotal situation for the Northeast Mississippi Community College baseball program.
Marlin connected for what turned out to be the game-winning homer in a 3-2 victory over Calhoun (Ala.) Community College on Saturday, February 27 at Harold T. White Field.
"His focus was there and I'm so proud for him," said Northeast head coach Richy Harrelson. "He and I have worked a whole bunch on trying to put good swings on the ball. It's been a long time coming for him."
Marlin last knocked a pitch out of the park during Tishomingo County High School's run to the quarterfinals of the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A playoffs in 2013.
He ended that drought with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. Marlin crushed a one ball, no strike pitch over the left-centerfield wall to break a stalemate and put the Tigers ahead by what was eventually the final margin.
"This means everything," Marlin said. "I was just trying to do anything to help my team get the win by getting on base. When it came off the bat, I knew it was gone. It just felt really, really great."
The seventh was filled with drama that Northeast successfully worked through. Jay Copeland led off for the Warhawks with a single, but was erased on a beautiful pickoff play from pitcher Taylor Bobo to first baseman John David Poss.
A catcher's interference call allowed Hunter Davidson to reach base moments later. However, the Tigers eliminated him and clinched the triumph by rolling a smooth double play with Eric Patterson, Garrison Howell and Poss all involved.
"Our guys give us so much energy and effort everyday," said Harrelson. "I told them before the game, 'You've just got to keep grinding and pushing.' We're excited because we're going in the right direction."
Northeast took an early 2-0 advantage in the second frame. Ryan Watts got things started with a double into the right-centerfield gap before Cole Camp, who entered as a courtesy runner, scored on A.J. Rye's fielder's choice.
Howell completed the solid inning by the Tigers (3-7) with a RBI single that brought Patterson, who was hit by a pitch for the sixth time already this season, home standing.
The Warhawks (12-8) used RBI hits from Andrew Chuba in the fifth and a squeeze bunt from Tanner Burns one frame later to tie the contest and setup Marlin's heroics for Northeast.
Bobo (1-0) recorded the inaugural victory of his sophomore campaign. He tossed the final two innings and conceded just one run and two hits during his second relief stint of the week.
"It was just good to be back out there," Bobo said. "My catcher Marlin and my infield really helped me. We just got the job done. It was definitely a team effort and a great win for us."
Watts kept Calhoun off balance for the initial five frames and gave up only one run and four base knocks. He was one of three multiple hitters for the Tigers as well alongside Howell and Patterson.
Dyersburg State 3, Northeast 2
The opening matchup of the day featured a similar rhythm as the Tigers grabbed a quick 2-0 lead in the third inning using a two-out rally in their first meeting with the Eagles in over a decade.
Bobo singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and touched home plate when Bailey Walker's sharp groundball passed between the legs of Dyersburg State's Colby Skeen at third base.
Northeast followed that miscue by the Eagles (6-2) with two consecutive hits from Watts and Patterson, whose line drive to right-centerfield resulted in Walker coming around to score.
But Dyersburg State placed solo runs on the scoreboard in each of its last three turns at bat to secure a come-from-behind triumph. Two of those runs were unearned and charged to Ryan Wesson (2-1), who took the hard-luck loss for the Tigers.
Skyler Defer garnered his first start at the collegiate level and did not disappoint. He went four strong innings on the mound with one run and four strikeouts compared to only two walks.
Bobo paced Northeast offensively with multiple hits. Watts stole a base for the second straight outing to extend a streak of five games in a row that the Tigers have swiped at least one bag.
Andrew Lambert caught his fourth runner attempting to steal so far this year. That currently ranks second in the Magnolia State and tied for fourteenth in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).