CLARKSDALE—CCC baseball dropped its season-opening doubleheader to Jackson State on Tuesday. The Generals were able to overcome a 9-5 deficit to capture the 1st game by a final of 17-9. Garrett Short posted a phenomenal pitching performance in Game 2, but Jackson State rallied late and eked out a 2-1 victory.

Dustin Allen started for the Tigers in Game 1. The Generals were able to touch him up for 2 in the 1st inning and then tally another in the 2nd. Trailing 3-0, the Tiger bats came to life. Zach Morris scored the 1st run of the year for the Tigers after Corey O'Brien put one in play and the Generals failed to complete a play at the plate. Tyler Crouch picked up an RBI in the inning on a base hit before John Pafford knocked in him and O'Brien with a huge 2 RBI triple to right center. Pafford's laser gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead. 

Allen allowed another tick in the 4th before exiting the game in favor of Adam McPhail. Two General base runners McPhail inherited from Allen would score in the inning to put Jackson State back on top.

Luis Colon, Hudson Ross, TJ Knowles, and Pafford all got hits for the Tigers in the 4th, staging a 5-run rally to make it a 9-5 CCC advantage heading into the 5th. But Jackson State refused to go quietly. They seized the lead back, tagging McPhail and his reliever Jon Haden Foster for 12 runs in the 5th and 6th to take a commanding 17-9 advantage.

The Generals were led by RF Zac Phillips, who finished the game with 4 hits, including 2 triples. It was the 1st win of the year for JSCC. 

Freshman Garrett Short took to the hill for the Tigers in Game 2. The Southaven native was superb for the Tigers, going all 7 innings and striking out 7 Generals while giving up just 4 hits in an impressive performance. After surrendering an unearned run in the 5th, Short bore down. He walked the leadoff man in the 6th but escaped the frame without any further damage.

The Tigers pushed one across in the 6th, and Short appeared to be on the cusp of holding the 1-1 tie in the 7th. But after a walk and a stolen base by CCC scourge Zac Phillips, Blake Rowlett took Short back up the middle for a clean single and an RBI that gave JSCC the lead once again.

Luis Colon boarded the base paths for the Tigers to lead off the bottom half of the 7th on an error by Conner, who switched from catcher to pitcher to try to close out the game. Colon stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by new JSCC catcher Alex Whitwell. With no one out, the Tigers had 3 chances to bring him home. The home team, however, was unable to turn the trick. Tyler Crouch popped out, John Pafford struck out, and Hudson Ross flew out to center to leave Colon stranded and send CCC to its 2nd loss of the day.

Short took a tough loss in the game while Conner earned the victory for JSCC. The Tigers travel to Millington on Thursday for the Flag City Classic. They will take on Southwest TN CC at 11:00 am on Southwest's home field and then tangle with Ellsworth (IA) CC at 1:30.

For photos from the games, please click HERE.