MMI Softball Ends Season with Best Finish in Program’s Four-Year History
The 2012 season finished with a bang for the Marion Military Institute Lady Tiger softball program. MMI entered the NJCAA Region 22 tournament and promptly defeated Lurleen B. Wallace 4-3 by scoring three runs in the seventh inning. Then, in the biggest win to date in the program’s history, MMI defeated ACCC Central Conference Champion and number one seed, Southern Union 3-1. The Lady Tigers would then lose an extremely close game to Shelton State 3-1 on May 5th. The game was marred by a controversial home plate call that went against MMI. In the finale, Marion banged out eight hits in the rematch against Southern Union but yielded a couple of costly home runs to the Lady Bisons, losing 5-1. For their efforts, MMI earned a fifth place finish in the tournament. Here are the highlights of the ACCC tournament:
May 4th: MMI 4 Lurleen B. Wallace 3
The Lady Tigers started slowly in this game but the solid pitching of Jessica Boykin and Brittani Sampson would elevate MMI to victory. Sampson would hold off the Lady Saints to earn the victory for Marion. Maryellen Pilitowski was the offensive hero for MMI. She belted a pinch hit, two RBI double to help advance MMI in the tournament. Shannon Dwyer, Ashlyn Ingram, Halley Ingram, and Amy Lara also had hits.
May 4th: MMI 3 Southern Union 1
MMI pulled off an incredible performance against the Lady Bisons of Southern Union. The Lady Tigers controlled the game from the outset. Amy Lara crushed a home run in the first inning to spark MMI to victory. Halley Ingram also added two hits. Brittani Sampson had a dominating pitching performance. She scattered five hits over seven innings for the complete game victory. The MMI defense was error free as well.
May 5th: Shelton State 3 MMI 1
Jessica Boykin pitched masterfully for MMI yielding only one earned run in nearly five innings pitched for MMI. Unfortunately, MMI fell victim to a tough call at home plate that lead to Shelton taking the lead in the sixth inning. Bernie Cardon did an excellent job of receiving a relay throw from Shannon Dwyer, but was overturned by the umpire. Dwyer also doubled, stole a base and scored a run for MMI. Amy Lara added a single as well. For the second straight game, the MMI defense did not give up an error.
May 5th: Southern Union 5 MMI 1
Halley Ingram, Christy Nelson and Tiffani White each had two hits for MMI. The game was the best offensive performance of the Lady Tigers in the tournament, but they could not capitalize with runners in scoring position. Amy Lara had Marion’s lone RBI with a triple that knocked in pinch runner, Ashley Mrozinski. Brittni Trawick played great defense all weekend for MMI as well and executed five sacrifices on the weekend. Brittani Sampson took the loss for MMI. For the third straight game, MMI did not give up a defensive error.
“I am extremely proud of the way our girls fought the last two weeks of the season. We had high standards this year and they met the challenge. I am very sad to see this group of sophomores go. However, they set the bar for the next group. It’s our job to surpass what we did this year. I am ready to go to work on that goal immediately,” said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie.
Since its inception in 2009, the Marion Military Institute softball program has accomplished several milestones:
- Two NJCAA Region 22 Tournament Appearances (2010, 2012)
- One Top 5 NJCAA Region 22 Finish (2012)
- NJCAA Academic Team of the Year (2010)
- Led NJCAA Region 22 in Fielding Percentage (2012)
- Three Academic All-Americans
- 16 All-Conference Players
- 1 All-Region Player
- Over 50 four-year college softball scholarship offers since 2009
- 32 win season in 2010
- One Alabama College System “All-Alabama Academic Team Member” 2012
- One Alabama College System “All-Alabama Leadership Team Member” 2012
Amy Lara is MMI Softball’s First All-Region Player, Four Others Receive All-Conference Recognition as well
Rio Linda, California native, Amy Lara was named NJCAA Region 22 2nd Team All-Region last week by the coaches of the Alabama Community College Conference. In addition, Lara picked up First Team All-ACCC North Conference honors as well. Lara batted .347 with two home runs, six doubles, five triples and 21 RBIs on the year. She also fielded .948 at both third base and shortstop this season.
Halley Ingram was also named to the All-ACCC North Conference First Team. Halley batted .355 with one double, two triples and 10 RBIs. She also fielded .944 in left and center fields. She finished the year with 20 stolen bases. Halley’s stolen bases total for 2012 is the new single season record for MMI softball. Her 36 career steals also leads MMI all-time as well. Halley is one of only two MMI players to receive All-Conference recognition in each of her two seasons at MMI (Ashley Clontz did it in 2009 and 2010).
Bernie Cardon, Ashlyn Ingram and Tiffani White were also selected to the All-ACCC North Conference Second Team as well. Cardon batted .290 this season with one home run, three doubles and 11 RBIs. She also had a fielding percentage of .978 this season. She has received an appointment to the United States Military Academy and hopes to join the softball team there as well. Ashlyn Ingram batted .346 on the season with two home runs, seven doubles and 10 RBIs. Ashlyn also fielded .941 in right field. Tiffani White batted .357 with seven doubles and 11 RBIs this season. She also fielded .931 at both shortstop and second base this season. Congrats to these ladies!
MMI Softball Splits Final Six Games with Snead, Calhoun and Gadsden to secure NJCAA Region XXII Tournament Spot
The Marion Military Institute Lady Tiger softball team willed its way into the NJCAA Region XXII Division I softball tournament this past week. This year’s team will be remembered not as an overly flashy group, but one that got the job done when it mattered most. They were faced with a must-win doubleheader at home against Snead State on April 26th. Sophomores Brittni Trawick, Ashlyn Ingram, Patricia Nowell, Beverly Diaz, Kara Miles, Maryellen Pilitowski, and Halley Ingram were honored before the start of the game. The team came through for them in dramatic fashion by winning two close games 7-6 and 6-4 to tie them with Snead for a spot in the tournament. However, on April 28th, MMI ran into a Calhoun buzzsaw on the road in Decatur, Alabama. The Lady Tigers were swept by Calhoun 10-2 and 8-5 that day. However, the following day MMI responded in dramatic fashion by winning their first game with Gadsden State 12-11 in extra innings. The final regular season game was dedicated to our departing sophomores and those upcoming freshmen who had not seen much time on the field. Both groups played hard to the last out losing a close game to the Lady Cardinals 8-6. MMI will open play as the 4th seed from the ACCC North Conference. Play will begin at Veterans Park in Alabaster, Alabama at 10AM on Friday morning. Here are the highlights from last week’s games:
April 26th: MMI 7 Snead State 6
Brittani Sampson went the distance for MMI giving up just two earned runs to the Lady Parsons from Snead in seven innings. The game’s hero was Ashlyn Ingram who crushed a sixth inning grand slam to put MMI up 5-4. However, Snead came roaring back in the 7th to retake the lead at 6-5. Halley Ingram led the 7th off for MMI with a triple. Ashley Mrozinski then quickly knocked her in to tie the game at 6-6. After Christy Nelson’s sacrifice bunt, Amy Lara delivered the game winning single for the Tiger victory. Bernie Cardon also added two hits for the Tigers. Halley Ingram finished with two hits including a double to go along with her triple.
April 26th: MMI 6 Snead State 4
Jessica Boykin pitched the Tigers to victory in the circle. She scattered six hits over seven innings, yielding only one earned run for the victory. Sophomore Brittni Trawick delivered a huge pinch hit RBI single to put the Tigers up 4-3 in the fourth inning. This hit would lead to an eventual 6-3 advantage for Marion and ignite them to victory. Shannon Dwyer paced the offense with two hits, including a double. Ashley Mrozinski also added two hits, an RBI and a double as well.
April 28th: Calhoun 10 MMI 2
In this game, MMI was not efficient in any category whatsoever. The Lady Tiger defense made three errors, and only managed four hits against Calhoun. Ashley Mrozinski and Bernie Cardon did string together an RBI apiece for MMI. Brittani Sampson took the loss for MMI.
April 28th: Calhoun 8 MMI 5
In the second game, MMI showed a much better effort but simply could not stop Calhoun’s bats in the late innings. Marion jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the sixth inning but were bombarded by eight runs in the final two innings for Calhoun. Shannon Dwyer had three hits including two doubles for MMI. She also drove in a run. Maryellen Pilitowski and Tiffani White also smacked two hits including a double apiece. Brittni Trawick and Halley Ingram also added two hits as well. Jessica Boykin would take the loss for MMI in the circle.
April 29th: MMI 12 Gadsden State 11 (8 innings)
This game would prove to be truly historic for MMI. First, the Lady Tigers wrapped up sole possession of fourth place and a birth to the NJCAA Region XXII tournament. It’s the second tournament appearance for Marion in the past three seasons. In addition, MMI would set a single game and doubleheader series record for hits in a day. It was truly an offensive masterpiece by the MMI softball team. In this game, Marion pounded out 22 hits, a school record. In the second game, MMI hammered another 12 hits, totaling 34 for the day, also a school record for MMI. Halley Ingram had four hits, two RBIs, and two stolen bases. Ashlyn Ingram had four hits, a double and an RBI. Bernie Cardon had three hits including a solo home run. Tiffani White added three hits, including a double and two RBIs. Amy Lara added a double and a solo home run. Christy Nelson and Shannon Dwyer also provided two hits for MMI. Nelson had two RBIs as well. Brittani Sampson and Jessica Boykin gutted it out with little rest to pace MMI to victory in the circle. Sampson came in after Boykin’s relief to stifle the Lady Cardinal bats in the 8th inning to get credit for the victory.
April 29th: Gadsden State 8 MMI 6
To honor all their work this season, this game was dedicated to the graduating sophomores and the freshmen who earned a well-deserved chance to start the last regular season game. Those players played very hard in a losing effort. Freshman Whitney Kinser provided a solid performance for MMI giving up five earned runs in six innings of work. It was Kinser’s first ever conference start and just the third of her college career. She also did not walk a batter. Offensively, MMI was lead by Megan Hearn. Hearn totaled three hits including a double and two RBIs. Ashley Mrozinski also added two hits to the effort as well. Callie Bennett, Patricia Nowell, Brittni Trawick and Halley Ingram also added RBIs. “This regular season has been a story of a group of young women who have battled adversity and never given up. The result of these actions has been that we achieved one of our goals of making the postseason. We outplayed several teams this year more talented than we were. I am proud of our efforts this season thus far. I look forward to the tournament next week,” said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie.
MMI Graduating Sophomores All Receive Softball Scholarships to Four-Year Institutions for the third straight season
The Marion Military Institute softball team has had another year of success getting softball scholarship offers done for its departing players. Halley Ingram and Maryellen Pilitowski will be playing for Georgia Gwinnett College in Lawrenceville, Georgia next year. It’s the first year of the program’s existence. “I am very happy for our players. Starting a new program is a great experience and I know that Pillow and Halley will make GGC Coach Kat Ihlenburg proud next year, said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie. In addition, Brittni Trawick will be playing at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. Ashlyn Ingram and Patricia Nowell will again be teammates at Judson College across town in Marion. Kara Miles and Beverly Diaz were also offered softball scholarships to Judson College as well. Freshmen Amy Lara was also offered a scholarship to Delta State University this year. “Our players have done an excellent job of marketing themselves. We have not missed yet on getting our kids to the next level. I think their efforts are most responsible for that fact. I am very proud that we’ve had so many players both this year and in years past who have been honored with these awards to help further their educational opportunities”, said Coach Guthrie.
Sophomores Recognized at Last Home Softball Game
Marion, AL - The 2012 sophomore softball players were recognized at their last home game yesterday afternoon. The Lady Tigers swept Snead State Community College, 7-6 and 6-4, to stay tied with Snead for the final spot in the upcoming ACCC Tournament. Pictured, from left to right, are: Beverly Diaz (Perris, California), Patricia Nowell (Dothan, Alabama), MaryEllen Pilitowski (Merritt Island, Florida), Halley Ingram (Temple, Texas), Ashlyn Ingram (Hueytown, Alabama), Brittni Trawick (Saraland, Alabama), and Kara Miles (Henegar, Alabama). The highlight of the doubleheader was a grand slam by Ashlyn Ingram in the sixth inning of the first game. The Lady Tigers were down 4-1 at the time. Although Snead scored two in the top of the seventh inning, Marion was able to come back with two runs of their own to take that game. Congratulations to our sophomores!
Alex Fioravante Crowned NJCAA Region XXII MVP
Decatur, AL—Alex Fioravante, MMI’s No. 1 singles player, was crowned NJCAA Region XXII MVP on Saturday after he scored a thrilling three-set upset of the No. 16th-ranked player in the nation, Zain Nawab of Gadsden State Community College. Fioravante won the classic confrontation, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, and then turned around and won the No. 1 doubles title (with his partner, Pil Ki Min) in another three-set stunner, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6.
In Friday’s action, Fioravante downed last year’s NJCAA Region XXII MVP, Faulkner State’s Matthew Steele, 6-1, 6-2.
“I think Alex achieved a first in the annals of Alabama Community College Conference tennis play when he beat not one, but two former conference MVP’s,” said Coach Wright. “That’s unprecedented. That’s some terrific tennis when you can beat such talented players and competitors like Nawab and Steele in back-to-back matches.”
Katie Pool Upsets CACC’s Nora Alcaino, Claims Silver Medal at No. 3 Singles
Decatur, AL—Katie Pool is dramatic. Her flair for acting and singing are testaments to her dramatic side. Now add tennis to her list of dramatic accomplishments. Pool, in the most dramatic fashion possible, saved the best for last. When the curtain came down on her MMI tennis career, Pool bowed out of the limelight with the performance of a lifetime.
On Friday evening, Pool claimed the silver medal by shocking the late-night stragglers at the Jimmy Johns Tennis Center with a three-set upset of Nora Alcaino, Central Alabama Community College’s steady and resilient No. 3 singles player. In a match that lasted more than two hours, Pool outlasted and outhustled Alacaino, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
“That match was a fitting end to Katie’s MMI tennis career,” said Coach Wright. “That was her swan song; that was her last curtain call. She went out with applause ringing in her ears.”
MMI Softball Falls Short at Hanceville, Locked in Dead Heat with Snead for ACCC Region XXII Tournament Birth
The Marion Military Institute softball team fell short last week at nationally ranked Wallace-Hanceville on April 19th. However, their postseason hopes remain very much alive. This week Snead State comes to Marion to face the Lady Tigers on the 26th. The contest is scheduled for 1PM (DH). Both teams are currently tied for fourth place in the ACCC North. One team will make the ACCC Region XXII Tournament in Alabaster next week and one will not. “This scenario is perfect for our kids. It’s our sophomores last day on our field. They’ve had a huge role in reviving the image of our program this year. It’s time for our players to get paid for the work they’ve put in this year. We need to go out and take our place in the tournament. If we execute, we will do so,” said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie. Following Thursday’s game, MMI travels to Calhoun on the 28th for a doubleheader and to Gadsden State on Sunday for a doubleheader to close out the regular season.
Here are the highlights from last week:April 19th:
Wallace-Hanceville 6 MMI 3
Jessica Boykin pitched six innings yielding four earned runs in a solid effort for MMI in the circle. Christy Nelson had two hits including a triple. Halley Ingram also added two hits. Shannon Dwyer paced the offense with a three-run homer.
April 19th: Wallace-Hanceville 11 MMI 3
MMI’s bats were largely silent against excellent pitching from Hanceville. However, the Tigers did manage three runs on just four hits. Amy Lara had a triple for MMI. Shannon Dwyer continued her hot hitting with a two run single as well. Halley Ingram and Callie Bennett also added hits for MMI. Brittani Sampson was the losing pitcher for Marion.
MMI Men’s Tennis Captures NJCAA Region XXII Title
Decatur, AL—During Saturday’s final-round play at the Jimmy Johns Tennis Center, the MMI men’s tennis team collected eight gold medals and one silver medal on its way to the 2012 NJCAA Region XXII Men’s Tennis Title. MMI played solid—and sometimes spectacular—tennis in all nine flights of play (six singles and three doubles matches), winning three of the four three-set matches and closing out the rest in straight-set wins.
Two of the most-anticipated matchups involved Alex Fioravante, MMI’s No. 1 player, and Zain Nawab, Gadsden State’s No. 1 player, in singles and doubles play, and both matches lived up to the hype and the anticipation.
Fioravante blasted his way to a 6-3 first-set win, only to have Nawab finesse his way back into the match with a 6-1 blowout in the second set. Reeling from the onslaught, Fioravante charged the net in the third set. Fioravante dove for balls, stabbed at attempted passing shots, and pirouetted about the forecourt in his attempts to parry all angles and lobs from the crafty Nawab. Fioravante’s hustle and heart paid off handsomely as he stunned the 17th-ranked JUCO player in the nation and the 2010 Alabama Community College Conference MVP, 6-3, in the third and decisive set.
In the last match of the afternoon, Fioravante and his doubles partner, Pil Ki Min, down one set to none, came back to notch MMI’s eighth match win of the day over Gadsden’s No. 1 doubles team of Nawab and Aaron Triplett. Fioravante and Min took over midway through the second set and went on to win the gold medal, 4-6, 6-3, 10-6.
Pil Ki Min tallied MMI’s first championship point with a decisive and explosive 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles. That win was soon followed by Kevin Song’s clutch 7-6 (6), 6-4 win at No. 3 singles for MMI. MMI’s Jacob Shoptaugh then came through with a fine 6-2, 7-5 effort at No. 4 singles.
Collecting a silver medal for MMI was Blake Joiner, who lost a tough three-set match.
Besides Fioravante’s extraordinary play at No. 1 singles, the surprise play of the championship round in singles belonged to Gabe Llewellyn. After splitting 6-4 sets with Gadsden’s Demetreous Thompson, Llewellyn played the tennis of his life and went on to blank Thompson in the third set, 6-0.
Song and Shoptaugh scored a fine 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 2 doubles, but it was the spectacular play of MMI’s No. 3 doubles team that pleased Coach Wright the most. “To be honest with you, if you told me before the match that Joiner and Llewellyn would win 6-1, 6-1 today, I would have laughed in your face,” said Coach Wright. “All season long it was excruciating and painful to watch their matches. The errors from the two of them would mount, and so would my blood pressure. During the season I would joke: ‘Hey, there are four players on the same team out there, and none of them are on our team.’ Every time I watched them play this year, I could not believe my eyes, but this time, my eyes couldn’t believe the quality of their play. They finally—and at long last—became a team.”
And it was a complete team effort from the top to the bottom of the lineup that paved the way to the championship.
“All in all, it was a great day for MMI men’s tennis,” said Coach Wright. “The boys played tremendously well against formidable and talented opponents. I don’t say what I’m going to say as often as I should to them, but I was extremely proud of the way the boys played and competed today.”
Nowell and Ingram Sign with Judson College
Marion Military Institute (Head Coach Joe Guthrie) and Judson College (Head Coach Lee Jones) held a scholarship signing ceremony after their April 13th game at MMI for two sophomore softball players, Ashlyn Ingram and Patricia Nowell. Ingram, a Hueytown, Alabama native, is currently hitting .383 in 26 games for the MMI softball team. Ingram starred in both basketball and softball at Bessemer Academy before signing a softball scholarship with Marion Military Institute in 2010. She plans to participate in both sports at Judson College next year. Nowell, a Dothan, Alabama, native, has seen limited action this year for Marion as both a catcher and designated hitter. Nowell starred at Ashford High School in volleyball and softball before attending Marion on a softball scholarship. She is also an active member of the Alabama National Guard. Congrats to Ashlyn and Patricia!
The Marion Military Institute softball team found its swing this week winning four of six games against conference rival Snead State and crosstown foe, Judson College. MMI will be back in action this Thursday against Wallace-Hanceville at 4PM (DH).
April 10th: Snead 8 MMI 7 (10 innings)
Brittani Sampson pitched incredibly well despite the fact that MMI came up short. She allowed only three earned runs in eight innings. Amy Lara went a perfect four for four at the plate. Halley Ingram and Ashlyn Ingram also added three hits as well. Bernie Cardon provided two hits and two RBIs.
April 10th: MMI 7 Snead 0
MMI came out with a vengeance in game two. They pounded eleven hits to keep their postseason hopes alive. Ashley Mrozinski, Christy Nelson, Shannon Dwyer, and Maryellen Pilitowski tallied two hits for the Lady Tigers. Jessica Boykin performed beautifully in the circle for Marion. She pitched a complete game, four-hit shutout.
April 13th: MMI 3 Judson 1
MMI survived an early scare from Judson behind the pitching of Brittani Sampson. Sampson scattered seven hits in a complete game win for the Lady Tigers. Ashley Mrozinski again paced the MMI offense with two hits.
April 13th: MMI 7 Judson 1
The offense continued to do well in the second game at home versus the visiting Judson Lady Eagles. Ashley Mrozinski, Jessica Boykin, Megan Hearn, and Callie Bennett all added two hits to the Tiger attack. Halley Ingram had three RBIs as well. Boykin also allowed only one earned run in four innings pitched for the victory. Whitney Kinser provided three scoreless innings of solid relief pitching as well.
April 14th: MMI 10 Judson 6
Halley Ingram continued to have an excellent weekend for MMI. She paced the offense with three hits, two runs, two stolen bases and an RBI. Shannon Dwyer also added three hits as well. Megan Hearn, Amy Lara, and Christy Nelson also tallied two hits. Brittani Sampson allowed only one earned run in four innings to preserve the victory for MMI.
April 14th: Judson 4 MMI 3
MMI’s four-game winning streak came to a close on the final game of the series. Jessica Boykin took the loss for MMI. Amy Lara was awesome at the plate. She added three hits including a triple and a home run for MMI. Shannon Dwyer also added three hits. Brittni Trawick smacked two hits including an RBI double.
Men’s Tennis Plays Well, Defeats Gadsden, 8-1
Gadsden, AL—The men’s tennis team played well in an 8-1 victory over Gadsden State on Saturday afternoon at the Gadsden Sports Complex.
The sole blemish on the afternoon was Gadsden’s walkover win at No. 1 singles. Alex Fioravante was unable to play his singles match due to a wrist injury. MMI won the remaining five singles matches and swept the doubles matches.
The MMI Tigers square off against the Stillman College Tigers on Monday, April 16th at 1:00 p.m. The match will be played at the Stillman Tennis Complex in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
MMI Men’s Tennis Subdues MGCCC, 6-3
Meridian, MS—In the first meeting between Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and MMI in early March, the Bulldogs played without their injured No. 4 player (Nick Georgian) and suffered a 9-0 loss. This time around, the shoe was on the other foot, and MMI was without its No. 4 player, Jacob Shoptaugh, whose military duty prevented him from participating in the match. The Tigers still managed to claw their way to a 6-3 win.
The win didn’t come easily, however, as MMI’s No. 1 and No. 2 players had to dig deep and mount huge comebacks. Alex Fioravante played near-flawless tennis in winning the first set against Alexander Puyol, 6-1. The tide and the tennis turned in the second set as Puyol surged to a 5-1 lead. Fioravante, down but not out, then reeled off six straight games to close out the set and the match, winning 6-1, 7-5. At No. 2 singles, Lachlan Puyol, Alexander Puyol’s twin brother, blasted his way to a 6-3 first-set win, only to have MMI’s Pil Ki Min find his rhythm and his range in the second set and in the super tiebreaker. Min prevailed, 3-6, 6-2, 10-4.
Other winners on the day for MMI included Kevin Song at No. 3 singles (6-2, 6-2), Gabe Llewellyn at No. 5 singles (6-1, 6-1), Fioravante/Min at No. 1 doubles (8-2), and Song/Blake Joiner at No. 2 doubles (8-3).
The Tigers head to Gadsden, Alabama, for a 1:00 p.m. match with Gadsden State Community College on Saturday, April 14th.
12th-Ranked Itawamba Trounces MMI, 8-1
Jasper, AL—The 12th-ranked Itawamba Community College Indians clobbered the Marion Military Institute Tigers, 8-1, on Wednesday afternoon at the Walker High School tennis courts.
“We didn’t go up to Jasper, Alabama, to play tennis,” said Coach Wright. “We went up to Jasper, Alabama, to go through the motions of pretending to play tennis. I’d wish they’d learn to do their talking with their tennis rackets and not with their mouths. Actions always speak louder than words, and today’s actions spoke volumes.”
Pil Ki Min, MMI’s No. 2 singles player, played one of the few solid matches on the day for Marion, defeating Lucas Souza, 6-1, 6-3.
Coach Wright hopes to see an attitude readjustment when his team faces Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this Friday at 2:30 p.m. at the Northeast Tennis Center in Meridian, Mississippi.
Lady Parsons Dominate Lady Tigers in Women’s Tennis
Marion, AL—On Tuesday afternoon, the Snead State Lady Parsons defeated the Marion Military Institute Lady Tigers, 9-0, in an Alabama Community College Conference match.
The only highlight of the afternoon for the Lady Tigers was Katie Pool’s excellent play at No. 3 singles. Pool almost pulled the upset of the day when she took a 5-2 third-set lead over Snead State’s Alex Poole. Pool, however, could not hold on and let the lead slip from her grasp, losing 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (3).
Central Alabama Community College visits Marion Military Institute on Tuesday for a 3:00 p.m. match.
MMI Softball Drops Two to Shelton, Splits with Snead
The Marion Military Institute softball team remains in a race with Snead State and Calhoun for postseason entry into the NJCAA Region XXII tournament next month. On April 7th, MMI was swept by ACCC North Conference leader, Shelton State 6-1 and 11-2. On April 10th, MMI split on the road with Snead State. MMI lost the first game in ten innings 8-7 and won the second game 7-0.
April 7th: Shelton 6 MMI 1
MMI was knotted in a tie with Shelton until the sixth inning when Shelton’s bats came alive to preserve victory. Amy Lara lead MMI with two hits and an RBI to pace the offense. Halley Ingram also had two hits as well. Jessica Boykin pitched six strong innings for MMI. She yielded only three earned runs and scattered eight hits, striking out one hitter. She did not walk a batter. MMI’s defense only gave up one error in the contest.
April 7th: Shelton 11 MMI 2
MMI again stayed with Shelton through the first four innings before the Lady Bucs offense proved too much for MMI. Brittani Sampson pitched well for MMI until running into trouble in the fourth inning. Beverly Diaz led MMI with two hits and an RBI.
April 10th: Snead 8 MMI 7 (10 innings)
In a game that resembled a prize fight, MMI played nearly perfectly until two defensive miscues cost them in the tenth inning. Brittani Sampson pitched eight excellent innings for MMI. She scattered eight hits and yielded only three earned runs. Jessica Boykin provided good relief for her in the eighth and ninth innings. MMI’s bats finally came to life as well. The Lady Tigers banged out seventeen hits in the game. Amy Lara lead MMI with a four for four performance. Halley Ingram and Ashlyn Ingram both added three hits. Bernie Cardon had two hits and two RBIs as well.
April 10th: MMI 7 Snead 0
Badly needing a win to keep their postseason hopes alive, MMI prevailed in game two. The Lady Tigers dominated Snead State in all phases of the game. The offense managed eleven hits. Christy Nelson led MMI with two doubles and two RBIs. Maryellen Pilitowski, Shannon Dwyer, and Ashley Mrozinski also added two hits as well. Jessica Boykin threw a complete game shutout. She gave up only four hits, and did not walk a batter.
MMI will return to action at home on April 13th vs. Judson College at 1PM (DH). The following day MMI travels to Judson for another 1PM (DH) as well.
MMI Softball Players visit Georgia Gwinnett College, Meet Dr. Andrew Young, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
The Marion Military Institute softball team continues to prove that the world is a small place and filled with opportunity. On April 3, 2012, MMI softball players Maryellen Pilitowski and Halley Ingram traveled to Lawrenceville, Georgia to tryout and visit new NAIA program, Georgia Gwinnett College. Both Ingram and Pilitowski were excellent in the tryout. “I was extremely proud of the way both players conducted themselves and played on Tuesday. We got excellent feedback from GGC Head Coach Kat Ihlenberg and I hope that they will soon become GGC Lady Grizzlies,” said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie.
Yet again, MMI softball players are moving on to four-year college ranks. “Every player electing to stay in our program since it began has received an opportunity to play at the four-year college level. We are about to extend that mark officially again this year,” said Coach Guthrie. To date, the following current MMI players have received offers: Brittni Trawick, (Belhaven University), Maryellen Pilitowski (Florida Tech), Patricia Nowell, (Judson College), Ashlyn Ingram, (Judson College), Kara Miles, (Judson College), Beverly Diaz, (Judson College), Amy Lara (Delta State University).
One added note…Pilitowski and Nowell will attend the 2012 Alabama Community College All-Academic Team Awards Ceremony in Montgomery, Alabama on April 5th. Pilitowski was selected as one of the Top 50 junior college students in the state.
Lastly, during the Georgia Gwinnett College visit on April 3rd, Coach Guthrie, Maryellen Pilitowski and Halley Ingram met former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Andrew Young. “It was a chance encounter. The players and I saw signs all day during our tour that Dr. Young would be speaking at GGC later that day. When we were leaving, we had a chance to meet him. I knew that he had worked in the 1950s in Marion and that his wife came from our town. When we reminded him of these facts at our meeting, he seemed very pleased. It was an exciting day for us. I hope that he will remember and us and come visit our school in the future," said Coach Guthrie.
Tigers Tame Eagles, 9-0, in Men’s Tennis
Raymond, MS—The MMI men came out swinging in their match with the Eagles of Hinds Community College on Wednesday afternoon, sweeping all nine matches en route to a 9-0 victory.
MMI’s No. 1 doubles team of Alex Fioravante and Pil Ki Min dominated Yevhiney Horbik and Max Gunbin, 8-2. Their record for the year now stands at an impressive 9-1.
Kevin Song and Jacob Shoptaugh clipped Gary Blissard and Alex Alexander, 8-3, at No. 2 doubles, and Blake Joiner and Gabe Llewellyn allowed only one game in their No. 3 doubles match.
Song and Shoptaugh won in straight 6-0, 6-0 sets at No. 3 singles and No. 4 singles, respectively, to salt away the match. Joiner continued MMI’s winning ways with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 5 singles, and Gabe Llewellyn rounded out the day with a 6-0, 6-4 win at No. 6 singles.
Sandwiched in between those four matches was the play of Fioravante at No. 1 singles and Pil Ki Min at No. 2 singles. Fioravante defeated Yevhiney Horbik, 6-2, 6-3, and Min downed Max Gunbin, 6-3, 6-1.
The MMI men return to Mississippi for a pair of matches beginning on Friday with Northeast Mississippi Community College at 2:00 p.m. and ending on Saturday with Holmes Community College at 9:00 a.m.
MMI Softball Adds Kayla Lankford for 2012-13
The Marion Military Institute softball team has added Kayla Lankford for next season. Lankford is currently a pitcher/first baseman for Holtville High School. Holtville High is one of the leading candidates for the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 4A title. One of her teammates is another MMI signee, Ashley Strength. “We are extremely excited to add Kayla to our team. Coach Rollan at Holtville is clearly doing an excellent job there. I think she’ll be a great fit for us,” said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie. Congrats to Kayla Lankford!
MMI Softball Splits with Gadsden, Drops two to Wallace-Hanceville to remain in 3rd place in ACCC North
The Marion Military Institute softball team continues to hang tough in conference play. In a league which features schools with enrollment number reaching 12,000, MMI remains in postseason contention. The Lady Tigers split with Gadsden State at home on March 27th and then were swept by Wallace-Hanceville on April 1st. Here are the highlights from those games:
March 27th: MMI 6 Gadsden State 0
Beverly Diaz paced the MMI offense with two hits, an RBI and a triple. Shannon Dwyer also added two hits. Christy Nelson and Bernie Cardon provided support with an additional two RBIs. Brittani Sampson pitched her second straight shutout in conference play. In her last sixteen and two thirds innings pitched, she has yet to allow a run. This feat has never been done by an MMI pitcher in the four-year history of the program. Sampson allowed only four hits and struck out five in the victory.
March 27th: Gadsden 6 MMI 3
Tiffani White paced the Tiger offense with two hits and an RBI. Kara Miles and Beverly Diaz added RBIs as well. Jessica Boykin took the loss for MMI.
April 1st: Wallace-Hanceville 4 MMI 0
The MMI bats were shut down by the pitching of the Lady Lions of Hanceville. However, Brittani Sampson again turned in a wonderful pitching effort. She shut nationally ranked WSCC out for six of the seven innings she pitched. Ashley Mrozinski managed the only hit that MMI had on the day.
April 1st: Wallace-Hanceville 7 MMI 0
Shannon Dwyer and Beverly Diaz managed two hits and a stolen base apiece for MMI. However, the Tigers simply could not capitalize on any offensive momentum. Hanceville put the game away with a three-run seventh inning. Jessica Boykin pitched well in a losing effort for the Lady Tigers.
MMI Softball Endures Tough Spring Break, Earns Split With Calhoun in Conference Home Opener
After a tough Spring Break, the Marion Military Institute softball team managed to bounce back with a crucial win against Calhoun Community College on March 21st. The win marked the first time that MMI has beaten Calhoun in the softball program’s history. Here are the highlights from Spring Break and the Calhoun series…
March 13th: MMI Drops Conference Doubleheader on Road to Shelton State
Game 1: Shelton 14 MMI 1
MMI was bombarded by a ten run Shelton fifth inning. Overall, Shelton managed fifteen hits total. Shannon Dwyer lead the MMI offense with two hits.
Game 2: Shelton 8 MMI 4
MMI bounced back with a better effort in the second conference game of the year. They sparked a comeback in the seventh inning but ultimately fell short despite scoring three runs to close the game. Maryellen Pilitowski and Ashlyn Ingram lead the offense with two hits apiece.
March 16th: MMI plays NCAA Division III opponent Birmingham Southern close but drops two on the road
Game 1: Birmingham Southern 8 MMI 3
Jessica Boykin pitched well in relief of starter Brittani Sampson. However, BSC’s eight runs in the first two innings proved too much for MMI. The offense was lead by Ashlyn Ingram’s solo home run and Kara Miles’ two RBIs.
Game 2: Birmingham Southern 6 MMI 4
The Lady Tigers came very close to knocking off BSC in the nightcap. Maryellen Pilitowski had a career day, homering twice for MMI. Boykin pitched a fine game lasting until the sixth inning before BSC was able to take the lead.
March 21st: MMI Splits with Calhoun Community College
Game 1: MMI 2 Calhoun 0
Brittani Sampson threw a complete game shutout to lead MMI to its first conference victory of the year over Calhoun. Christy Nelson and Ashlyn Ingram each added RBI singles for the Lady Tigers.
Game 2: Calhoun 4 MMI 0
Jessica Boykin again pitched well for MMI. Unfortunately, the MMI bats were silent in the second game. Ashley Mrozinski, Halley Ingram, Amy Lara and Bernie Cardon did manage hits for MMI. The MMI softball team will be back in action on March 27th at home against Gadsden State.
Lady Parsons Defeat Lady Tigers, 9-0, in Women’s Tennis
Boaz, AL—The Lady Parsons scored a 9-0 win yesterday afternoon over the Lady Tigers at the Snead State Community College courts.
“In my opinion, that was a very unchristian-like thing of the Lady Parsons to do—to beat us 9-0 like that,” said Coach Wright. “But, believe it or not, there was a silver lining to that beating. And the silver lining is this: We finally learned how to compete. Clements was getting clobbered—absolutely pummeled—6-1, 4-0, when she came back and almost won the second set. McLendon lost in three sets. Pool lost in two very close sets. Second doubles, after being blown out in the first set, almost won the second set. That was a productive loss.”
The Lady Tigers head to Faulkner State Community College for a 1:00 p.m. powwow with the Lady Sun Chiefs on Monday, April 2nd.
Women’s Tennis Sweeps Judson Lady Eagles in Season Series
Marion, AL—The Lady Tigers took two out of three doubles matches and four of the six singles matches to defeat the Judson College Lady Eagles, 6-3, Tuesday afternoon at the Paul B. Anderson Tennis Complex and sweep the season series, 2-0.
Bailey Clements double-bageled Kyrie Olszowy, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1 singles, and Ashley McLendon hammered Susan Moore, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. Former Judson No. 1 player, Anna Richburg, moved down two spots to play MMI’s Katie Pool at No. 3 singles. Pool dunked Richburg in three sets, winning the third-set super tiebreaker, 10-7.
Allison Brombach also tallied a point in the singles column, edging out Riley Tunnell, 7-5, 6-4, in two hard-fought sets.
Clements and McLendon scored an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles, and Pool and Brombach won 8-3 at No. 2 doubles.
The MMI Lady Tigers take to the road tomorrow to play Snead State Community College at 1:30 p.m. in Boaz, Alabama.
MMI's David Murray 2012 ACCC Region Player of the Year
The Alabama Community College Conference recently announced their 2012 men's basketball awards and Marion's David Murray, Dominique Ellis, and Sherman Smith were rewarded for their outstanding play this year. The 2011-2012 men's basketball team finished with a school record 21 wins with only nine losses. They ended the regular season as the #2 seeded team in the North Region.
David Murray was named the 2012 Player of the Year in the Northern League as well as the Region Player of the Year. Murray, a 6'4" sophomore guard/forward from Leeds, Alabama led the Tigers in both scoring and rebounding this year. David averaged 16.93 points and 7.69 rebounds per game for the Tigers. He also recorded a league high nine double-doubles.
.jpg)
Dominique Ellis, a 6'4" sophomore forward from Tuscaloosa, Alabama earned 1st Team All-Northern League honors as well as 2nd Team All-Region. Ellis finished the season shooting over 60% from the floor and averaging 13.3 points and 6.07 rebounds per game.
Sherman Smith, a 5'8 sophomore point guard from Birmingham, Alabama earned 2nd Team All-Northern League honors. Smith averaged 8.21 points for Marion while dishing out four assists and grabbing two steals per game. Smith also finished the season shooting over 40% from behind the arc.
MMI Wrestlers Finish 15th at National Tournament
Daytona, FL - The MMI wrestling team, as well as other diehard NCWA squads, faced tougher competition than usual this year at the 2012 NCWA National Tournament. Several four-year colleges and universities have competed in the NCWA this year while their programs are making a tranisiton from either NAIA to NCAA Division II or from NCAA Division I to NCAA Division II. Marion finished 14th at the tournament and was the only junior college to place that high in the field. Heavyweight Matt Baker earned NCWA All-American status for Marion, finishing in 6th place.
JockJive to Broadcast Home Baseball and Softball Games
Marion, AL - Director of Athletics, Michelle Ivey, has announced that JockJive will braodcast the remaining home baseball and softball games this spring. You'll be able to enjoy live coverage of all home, conference games for both baseball and softball, beginning with the Southern Union baseball doubleheader on March 17. The first MMI Softball coverage is slated for March 21 when the Lady Tigers host Calhoun Community College. Access to the games can be found here: www.jockjive.com
Men’s Tennis Upsets 13th-ranked Meridian, 5-4
Marion—The MMI men’s tennis team played possibly its best match of the year in upsetting the 13th-ranked Meridian Community College Eagles, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon at the Paul B. Anderson Tennis Complex.
The Tigers came up big in doubles play with wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. MMI’s Alex Fioravante and Pil Ki Min continued their sterling play at No. 1 doubles by beating Simon Bardell and Trey Webb, 8-4. The doubles match of the day, however, belonged to MMI’s No. 2 doubles team of Kevin Song and Jacob Shoptaugh. They outlasted Andres Yepes and Zach Marroy, 9-7, in a very well-played match.
In singles play, Kevin Song defeated Zach Marroy, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 3 singles, and Jacob Shoptaugh at No. 4 singles played extremely well in defeating Will Huntington, 6-3, 6-2. Those two wins put MMI on the verge of victory.
The match hinged on the play of MMI’s No. 2 singles player Pil Ki Min. Min won the first set, 6-4, and fell behind 1-4 in the second set to Meridian’s Andres Yepes. Min rose to the occasion and closed out the match by winning five consecutive games. The five-game span was a study in tennis virtuosity. Min willed himself to victory by tracking down every ball and playing nearly flawless tennis.
The men's tennis team is off for a three week stretch and will return to action when it visits Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi on Wednesday, March 28th. The match is set to start at noon.
Meridian Blanks MMI Women’s Tennis, 9-0
Marion—The 18th-ranked Meridian Lady Eagles behind the play of Monica Rekkedal at No. 1 singles and at No. 1 doubles with partner Katy Adams easily tamed the Lady Tigers, 9-0, on Wednesday afternoon on the Marion Military Institute campus.
The Lady Tigers return to action after Spring Break to take on the Judson College Lady Eagles at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20th. The match will be played at the Paul B. Anderson Tennis Complex.
MMI Softball Drops Two to Meridian
The 2012 Marion Military Institute Lady Tiger softball team is still trying to find its stride. On March 1st, MMI dropped a doubleheader to the Meridian Community College Eagles in Mississippi. "Overall, we were simply not prepared to play. It is my responsibility to ensure that we are better prepared in practice for this situation not to occur again. Mostly we need to quickly develop a sense of urgency in one run games. We will begin work immediately to remedy that issue," said MMI Head Softball Coach, Joe Guthrie. Here are the highlights from March 1st:
MCC 4 MMI 3
Amy Lara paced the offense with two RBIs. Amy Lara added an RBI double. Brittni Trawick provided two hits. Whitney Kinser pitched well in relief of starter Brittani Sampson. Kinser allowed only one run in the final four and one thirds innings.
MCC 9 MMI 8 (8 innings)
Beverly Diaz continued her hot hitting with a triple and three RBIs. Brittni Trawick also added three hits and an RBI for MMI. Brittani Sampson pitched well in relief of Kinser. She went six innings yielding five hits and only three earned runs. She also struck out five batters.
MMI will be back in action March 9th for the MMI-Judson Tournament. Play will begin at both MMI and Judson at 10AM on the 9th.
MMI Men’s Tennis Leashes MGCCC Bulldogs, 9-0
Alexander City—The MMI men’s tennis team saved its best tennis for last—as in the last day of the CACC Spring Mixer and the very last match of the evening. The Tigers swept the 16th-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs 6-0 in singles play and scored two more points at No. 2 doubles (Kevin Song and Jacob Shoptaugh) and No. 3 doubles (Blake Joiner and Gabe Llewellyn) to take an impressive 8-0 lead going into the final match of the night—No. 1 doubles.
MMI’s Alex Fioravante and Pil Ki Min saved the very best of the best tennis for last. Sporting a stellar 6-1 record in No. 1 doubles play, Fioravante and Min almost met their match in the Brothers Puyol, Alexander and Lachlan, the Bulldog twins from Down Under.
The Australian twins raced to a quick 6-2 lead and were on the verge of handing Fioravante and Min their second loss of the year when the mighty Min and the fiery Fioravante came to life.
Min started to hit some incredible angles that even Euclid was probably unfamiliar with, and Fioravante began to hone in with his forehand. Min, who is of Korean descent, and Fioravante, who is part Chinese, punctuated each scintillating and astounding point with their signature bow to each other.
Fioravante and Min did not bow out of this match. The flamboyant pair captured doubles win number seven with a thrilling and memorable 9-7 victory.
The Marion men will host the Meridian Eagles on Wednesday, March 7th at 2:00 p.m.
Meridian Eagles Soar to 7-2 Win over MMI Men’s Tennis
Alexander City—Most tennis matches that end with a 7-2 score aren’t close matches. The match played on Saturday afternoon at the CACC Spring Mixer between the MMI Tigers and the 13th-ranked Meridian Community College Eagles turned out to be of a different stripe. This 7-2 match in favor of Meridian was close.
The Tigers lost three matches (No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5 singles) in third-set super tiebreakers, and a fourth match at No. 6 singles by a 6-3, 6-4 score.
All three doubles matches, however, were blowouts. MMI’s No. 1 doubles team of Alex Fioravante and Pil Ki Min played flawless tennis in blanking Meridian’s pair of Andres Yepes and Zach Marroy, 8-0. Meridian won the other two doubles matches by 8-0 and 8-1 scores.
Jacob Shoptaugh notched the only singles point for MMI with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Meridian’s Will Huntington.
FSCJ Stars Defeat Lady Tigers, 5-0, in Rain-Shortened Match
Alexander City—The second round of rain washed out play on the second day of tennis at the CACC Spring Mixer. The Lady Tigers fell to the Florida State College at Jacksonville Stars in the rain-abbreviated match, 5-0.
The Stars shone brightly in doubles action, sweeping all three doubles matches to take a 3-0 match lead. FSCJ’s No. 1 doubles team of Zorica Djuric and Ekaterina Vezhenkova pounded MMI’s Bailey Clements and Ashley McLendon, 8-0. MMI’s Katie Pool and Allison Brombach almost pulled off the upset of the day in No. 2 doubles, but their opponents—Nateesha Hurtt and Mallory Lenoir—staved off match point and prevailed, 9-7. MMI’s No. 3 doubles team of Jessica Bass and Brigette West lost the last point in doubles, 8-5.
The No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches finished up before the match was called. Djuric stormed by Clements, 6-0, 6-1, and Vezhenkova doused McLendon, 6-0, 6-0.
MMI’s second match of the afternoon with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College was washed out, too.
The Lady Tigers return to Alexander City on Tuesday to play Central Alabama Community College in a conference match at 2:00 p.m.
ABAC Stallions Ride Roughshod over MMI Tigers, 9-0, in Men’s Tennis
Alexander City—The Marion Military Institute men’s tennis team could not corral the ABAC Stallions in first-day action at the CACC Spring Mixer, falling 9-0 to the No. 6-ranked junior college team in the nation.
“ABAC has an impressive array of talent on its roster, from No. 1 to No. 6 singles,” Coach Wright said. “There is not a weak link in the lineup. Snaider, Hatem, Henssen, Hardy, Kueckelhaus, and Faria—that’s an all-star lineup.”
Coach Wright was also impressed with his team’s performance. “Although the scorebook says otherwise,” Wright said, “I thought my team played extremely well today. We played a very experienced and very talented team. We competed well, we lost, and now we move on.”
The competition doesn’t get any easier in the CACC Spring Mixer, as Saturday’s play pits the MMI men against two more nationally-ranked teams, Meridian Community College (No. 13) at 12:30 p.m. and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (No. 16) at 3:00 p.m.
Men's Basketball Breaks Record
Marion, AL - The men's basketball team concluded their regular season last night with a loss to Jeff Davis Community College (62-67), the #1 seed for the South in the upcoming Alabama Community College Conference Tournament. Dominique Ellis and David Murray paced the Tiger's offense with 21 and 19 points, respectively. Even with that loss, the 2011-2012 team will go into the record books with the most wins in a season, twenty-one. Marion (21-8, 8-4) finished the season as the #2 seed in the North and will face the winner of Faulkner State Community College and Wallace State Community College-Hanceville in the second round of the ACCC Conference Tournament. That game is scheduled to tip-off on Thursday, March 8th at 3:00 p.m. at Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Several sophomores have paced the Tigers this year. David Murray leads the team in both scoring (16.89 ppg) and rebounding (7.48 rpg). Murray currently ranks 2nd in the conference in scoring and 3rd in rebounding. He has also recorded a team leading eight doubles-doubles this season. Dominique Ellis is currently ranked 3rd in field goal percentage at 60.7%. Ellis averages 12.96 points per game and 6.11 rebounds. Sherman Smith, Eric Russell, and Raymond Gee have also contributed throughout the year as the remaining three starters. Smith averages over four assists and two steals per game at the point guard position while Russell has contributed with almost nine points and over four rebounds per game. Gee has upped his game recently and averages six points and five rebounds per game.
Congratulations to the 2011-2012 men's basketball team, Head Coach Tommy Suitts, and Assistant Coach Willie Watson!
Lady Tigers Defeat Judson College, 6-3
Marion, AL—Two Lady Tigers—Ashley McLendon at No. 2 singles and Allison Brombach at No. 4 singles—pulled out three-set wins today to help their squad defeat the Judson College Lady Eagles, 6-3.
Allison Brombach lost the first set to Judson’s Riley Tunnell, 6-3, before storming back to win the last two sets, 6-1, 6-4. With the come-from-behind win, Brombach secured the match win for the Lady Tigers.
MMI’s Ashley McLendon, with her match dead even after two sets [6-4, 6-7 (4)], won the third and decisive set, 6-3, over Susan Moore, who put in a gallant effort for Judson.
Bailey Clements at No. 1 singles defeated Anna Richburg, 6-2, 6-1, and Katie Pool at No. 3 singles beat Kyrie Olszowy to round out the singles scoring for MMI.
MMI also won two of the three doubles matches. Clements and McLendon produced a point at No. 1 doubles with their 8-1 win, and Pool and Brombach came through with an
Westerman and DeMott - Champions at UCF Open
ORLANDO, FL. - The MMI wrestlers traveled to Orlando, Florida this past weekend to participate in the University of Central Florida Duals and Open Tournament. The duals took place Friday evening with Marion winning one of three. The tigers lost to Sierra Communiy College and The Apprentice School before defeating Georgia Southern.
In the Open Tournament Saturday morning MMI was able to finish 3rd behind Sierra CC and the host school, UCF. Brandon Westerman (pictured) and Tyler DeMott both were crowned champions at the tournament, one of the toughest on this year's schedule. Placing 3rd were Trevor Bailey at 149-lbs. and Joel Wyman at 235-lbs. Kevin Koch (174-lb.) placed 4th while
