Indians Break Modern-Day Home Run Mark in Sweep of Southwest Tennessee

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Itawamba walked into its final non-conference date of the regular season and left with a sweep, using a late power surge to take the opener before backing it up with a clean, controlled win in Game 2 against Southwest Tennessee on Tuesday.

Game 1: Indians 11, Southwest Tennessee 7

ICC had to earn this one twice.

After Southwest Tennessee used a pair of home runs in the second inning to grab the early edge, the Indians answered in the third and kept coming every time the game turned. ICC moved in front 3-2 on Will Caviness' sacrifice fly and Tyler Pickens' two-run single, only to see the Saluqis answer with three in the bottom half and reclaim a 5-3 lead.

That set the tone for most of the opener. ICC kept pressing, and the Indians finally flipped the game for good with their biggest swings late.

Reid Kent was in the middle of everything. He piled up four hits, sparked multiple scoring chances and delivered the game-changing shot in the sixth when he launched a two-run homer to right to pull ICC within one. Moments later, Madden Butler followed with a solo homer to center, tying the game at 7-7 and wiping out Southwest Tennessee's latest push.

Once ICC got even, the Indians did not let go.

In the seventh, ICC turned a tie game into a four-run cushion. Andrew Williams lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the go-ahead run, Brody Thompson lined an RBI double to center and Cannon Graham put the finishing touch on the inning with a two-run homer to right. Just like that, ICC had turned a back-and-forth game into an 11-7 lead.

Kent finished 4 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs, while ICC pounded out 12 hits.

The bigger note from the opener came in the long ball column. ICC's three home runs pushed the Indians to 54 on the season, moving the club into first place in modern-day program history for home runs in a season.

"I thought we did a really good job in Millington," head coach Slater Lott said. "Jack Howell did what he's done all year and gave us a good start on the mound in Game 1."

Howell worked three innings in the start, allowing five runs, two earned, on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

Hunter Hutchens picked up the win with a sharp inning of relief, retiring all three batters he faced in a clean sixth.

Game 2: Indians 4, Southwest Tennessee 1

The second game looked a lot different. This time, ICC got on the board early, handed the ball to its pitching staff and stayed in control.

The Indians struck first in the opening inning when Butler doubled home Kent for a 1-0 lead. Two innings later, ICC gave itself space. Tre Gunn drove in a run with an RBI single, then Howell followed with a two-run single to right to stretch the lead to 4-0.

That was more than enough for the Indians' arms.

Riley Caygle set the tone from the start, working 3.2 innings without allowing a hit or a run. He struck out two, walked one and kept Southwest Tennessee from ever building any early momentum. ICC's staff handled the rest from there, allowing just one run as the Indians closed out the sweep.

"I thought Riley Caygle was the best version of himself we've seen in Game 2," Lott said. "It was good to get some new faces out there and let some other guys build momentum too. I thought Reid Kent was excellent all day on both sides of the ball, and we really had a solid day overall."

Up next, the Indians step back into conference play Saturday when ICC hosts Southwest Mississippi. First pitch for Game 1 is set for 2 p.m. on LetsGoICCTV.com/red.

"We're excited to get back into conference play this weekend," Lott said.