Indians hold on to defeat East Mississippi, 5-4

Indians hold on to defeat East Mississippi, 5-4 
Lee Adams/LetsGoICC.com 

FULTON, MS – After dropping game one, Itawamba Community College bounced back to earn a split defeating East Mississippi Community College 5-4 in game two Wednesday night.

The Indians (29-13, 16-10 MACJC) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as Tyreque Reed (Houlka) doubled to score Keith Stepter, who led off the inning with a walk, and Russ Payne (Fulton) drove Reed around to score on a single.

In the third, the Indians added three runs to their lead on a bases loaded walk by Ben Seay (Mooreville) and RBI single by Kaleb Barnes (Pontotoc) and Hunter Nabors (Montevallo, AL) reaching a fielder's choice.

The Indians then saw their five run lead quickly diminish as the Lions cut the lead to one, 5-4, courtesy of a pair of two run home runs. 

Reid Carter (Houston) came in and shut down the Lions in relief as all four batters he faced were retired in order after an unconventional unassisted double play by first baseman Austin Carpenter (Belmont), where he caught a falling line drive and tagged a runner at first, who was trying to get back to the base.

JT Salter (Bay Minette, AL) then came in to pitch in the seventh and shut down the Lions to pick up his first save of the season and preserve the win for starting pitcher Steffon Moore (West Point).

The Indians are currently in the midst of one of the tightest playoff races in recent history as they are in a three way tie with Hinds and East Central for second in the MACJC. 

Saturday, the Indians will wrap up the regular season in a crucial doubleheader with Hinds at 2 p.m. at Roy Cresap Field in Fulton, where it will also be sophomore day. 

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