CLARKSDALE - The CCC Baseball program earned its first win of the 2016 season by downing Arkansas Baptist 10-3 Tuesday at the Eddie C. Smith Sportsplex. Bryan Pala hurled a complete game and struck out 13 to help the team earn a split in the twinbill. 

Game 1 of the doubleheader vs. the Buffs proved to be a wild one, with chilly temperatures and gusts of up to 25 MPH making for less than ideal playing conditions. Arkansas Baptist jumped out to a 3-0 lead by getting to CCC starter Leonardo Castro in the first inning. The Diamond Tigers bit back though, striking for 2 in the bottom half of the first on a home run by Tanner White. 

Baptist would get to Castro for 1 more in the 2nd and tag relief man Jacob Feduccia in the 3rd for 2 to build a 6-2 advantage. But CCC followed a 2-run 3rd with a 4-run 4th keyed by doubles by Trenton Johns, Hayden Tapper and Adam Cook that would put the squad in the driver's seat. 

Arkansas Baptist would respond, getting a sacrifice fly in the 6th and then an RBI single from Landon Colson in the 7th against Feduccia to send CCC to extra frames for the second straight game. They would capitalzie for 1 in the 8th off Dustin Allen to notch the comeback win, 9-8.

The second game though would belong to the home squad. Pala was dialed in from the start, striking out at least 1 in every inning while surrendering just 4 hits and 3 runs (1 earned). His 13 Ks over 7 innings exceeded the combined total of the 3 other CCC starters (12) this season. 

Offensively, CCC got its most complete all-around day at the plate against a platoon of Buffs hurlers. The second game featured more solid performances out of Haney, who finished the doubleheader with 3 stolen bases and 5 runs scored, and Tapper, who reached twice. Adam Cook smacked his third double of the day, and White was able to add a double, two walks and an RBI to his totals. Tyler Crouch added a 2-RBI triple in the 5th to put the game out of reach.

CCC (1-2) is back in action Thursday at Calhoun CC in Decatur, Alabama. Start time is slated for noon. Calhoun will make the trip to CCC Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader rematch at the Eddie C. Smith Sportsplex.

A live stream of Saturday's games will be available through coahomasports.com and mixlr.com.

Photos from the games vs. Arkansas Baptist are available by clicking HERE.