Indians split with No. 9 Meridian in conference opener

Fulton, Miss. - Itawamba Community College baseball split the conference opening doubleheader with No. 9 Meridian Community College Saturday, winning game one, 10-5, and dropping game two, 3-1 in a pitcher's duel.

Game 1: Indians 10, Eagles 5

The Indians (13-4, 1-1 MACCC) rattled off 15 hits while scoring 10 runs against the nationally ranked Eagles (15-5, 1-1 MACCC) in the first game of conference play.

In the first inning, the Gray Bane (Olive Branch) doubled to score the game's first run and give the Indians an early 1-0 lead.

The Indians quickly extended their in the second scoring four runs. Drew Capobianco (Saltillo) started the scoring with a two-run scoring single and Will Verdung (Corinth) followed with a double to score Capobianco.

Bane picked up his second RBI of the game with a single to cap off the four-run frame. 

The Eagles scored three runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 5-3, but the Indians answered with four-runs in the bottom of the frame to extend the lead to 9-3. 

Verdung drove in a run on his second double of the game and scored on a single by Jackson Lee (Calhoun City). 

Bo Rock (Amory) hit an opposite field two-run home run [video] to highlight the big inning. 

The Eagles cut into the lead again with a solo home run in the fifth and scoring a run in the sixth to pull within four, 9-5.

Verdung gave the Indians' an insurance run the eighth on a solo home run [video] that capped off his 3-for-4, three RBI game.

Reese Ruth (Fulton) sealed the deal in the ninth strikeout the side in order to secure the win.

Brady Davis (Hamitlon) picked up the win to improve to 3-0 this season.

Game 2: Eagles 3, Indians 1

The abundance of hits and runs were absent in game two as ICC's JW Armistead (Mooreville) and Meridian's Cole Bosewell were locked in a pitcher's duel.

The Eagles took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly in the top of the second, and both pitchers kept runs off the board for the next three innings. However, the Indians had their chances as they loaded the bases in the fourth and fifth frames but were unable to push across the tying run.

In the sixth, the Eagles score two runs on two hits to extend the lead to 3-0.

Bane hit a solo home run [video] with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to two, but the Indians were unable to rally to force extra innings, falling 3-1.

The Indians will travel to Goodman Wednesday for a conference doubleheader against Holmes Community College with game one scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

Follow ICC Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram