Seeking a dry diamond to play ball on, the East Central Community College Lady Warriors traveled to Fultondale, Ala., Friday, March 1, and came home with a couple of softball wins in the Fultondale Friendly Tournament.

East Central lost its opener 7-1 to Marion Military Institute (Ala.), before defeating Northwest Florida State 7-6 and Bevill State (Ala.) 8-4. The Lady Warriors are now 5-5 on the season.

East Central was scheduled to play in the Coast Alabama Spring Invitational in Atmore, Ala., Friday before rain forced the cancellation of that tournament. Several teams quickly came together and formed the Fultondale Friendly Tournament in order to get some playing time. The games were played at the Fultondale Sports Complex.

The Lady Warriors couldn't get the bats going at the right time in the loss to Marion Military (8-10). East Central left eight runners on base in the contest, falling behind 3-0 in the first inning. Marion also had a couple of home runs, including one inside the park. A trio of East Central pitchers struck out eight Lady Tigers.

Freshman catcher Anna McNeer (Canton Academy) was the only Lady Warrior with multiple hits with a single and a double.

East Central bounced back in its second game of the day, jumping out to a 5-0 lead and holding on for the 7-6 win over Northwest Florida State (12-10). Back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the first by McNeer and freshman Annabell Watkins of Leake Academy gave East Central an early 2-0 lead. They increased that lead to 5-0 in the next inning with a bases clearing double by McNeer.

The Northwest Florida Lady Raiders used a grand slam in the fourth to pull within a run at 5-4. East Central picked up two runs in the fourth on a passed ball and then held on as Northwest Florida picked up two more runs in the seventh to make the final score 7-6.

In addition to McNeer's two hits, freshman second baseman MaKenzie Barnett of Neshoba Central had a pair of singles. Freshman pitcher Jesalyn Jarrette (Baskin, La., Franklin Academy) picked up the win, with relief help from freshman Brooklyn King (George County).

In the final game of the day, East Central overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit to defeat Bevill State 8-7. The Lady Warriors got back in the game with two runs in the second with an inside-the-park home run by freshman right fielder Braelyn Boykin (Mize) that brought in Barnett, who had singled. East Central tied the game in the third on a sacrifice fly by Watkins. A sacrifice fly by freshman shortstop Hannah Dufault (Hurley, East Central) in the fourth gave East Central its first lead 4-3.

After the Lady Bears (4-7) took the lead with a run in the top of the sixth, East Central put the game away with four runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. The hot-hitting McNeer tripled in three of the runs and Watkins picked up another RBI with a sacrifice fly.

Freshman left fielder Olivia Houston of Northwest Rankin led the Lady Warriors with three hits in the game.

King got the win in the circle in relief.

For the day, McNeer had six hits and seven RBI for East Central.

The Lady Warriors are scheduled to play their home opener on Monday, March 4, on the ECCC campus in Decatur. Lansing (Mich.) Community College visits for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. East Central will then begin MACJC play with a doubleheader at Coahoma in Clarksdale at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 8.