It’s only one week into division play, but the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges baseball season is already heating up.
Archrivals Southwest Mississippi Community College and Copiah-Lincoln will meet Saturday in Wesson for the first round of the annual Coca-Cola Baseball Challenge. Game One is set for 1 p.m.
Southwest captured the trophy in 2010 with three one-run victories — the final game was called due to rain — and can repeat as series winners with at least two wins in this year’s Challenge.
At news conferences held in McComb and Brookhaven on Wednesday to discuss the Challenge, Southwest head coach Lee Kuyrkendall and Co-Lin head coach Keith Case spoke of the importance of their respective schools to their community and what the Challenge means to their teams and fans.
Kuyrkendall, along with Case, thanked Coca-Cola “for what they do (to sponsor) this event.”
Kuyrkendall said “they made this a great event, even better than it was before.”
Making each game of the Challenge especially important is the fact that each is a divisional game. Having the largest crowds of the season for both teams only adds intensity to an already intense atmosphere.
Fans also get an opportunity to get involved in the activities with prize giveaways at the end of each half-inning.
This Saturday at Co-Lin, children in their baseball or softball uniforms will be admitted free and anyone retrieving a foul ball will be allowed to keep it.
Added to the mix this year is the chance for fans to win a jersey and cap from the respective schools.
Once again this year, the “Chasing Foul Balls” crew will broadcast live on-site at Southwest during the final round of the Challenge, providing post-game interviews with players and coaches.
Round Two of the Challenge is set for April 13 at Southwest.
