Indians Bounce Back for Split at East Mississippi

SCOOBA, Miss. - Itawamba came out of Tuesday's trip to East Mississippi with a split, dropping the opener after one big inning swung the game before answering behind steady pitching and timely extra-base hits in Game 2.

Game 1: East Mississippi 10, Indians 5

Itawamba matched East Mississippi early, but the game turned in the fourth when the Lions put together a seven-run inning and created too much separation.

EMCC struck first on a solo home run in the opening inning, but ICC answered in the second when Tyler Pickens doubled to left to score Tre Gunn and tie the game at 1-1.

The Lions moved back in front in the third on a run-scoring groundout, then broke the game open in the fourth. EMCC scored seven times in the inning on eight hits, using a run-scoring double, a pair of RBI singles and a two-run home run to stretch the lead to 10-1.

ICC chipped away late.

The Indians scored three times in the seventh. Cannon Graham brought home a run with a groundout, Reid Kent followed with an RBI single that scored Madden Butler and Brody Thompson added an RBI double to score Kent and cut the margin to 10-4.

Kent added one more in the ninth when he homered to left, finishing off a two-RBI game.

Game 2: Indians 3, East Mississippi 1

ICC answered the opener the right way.

The Indians grabbed control early and gave Andrew Williams enough support to carry it the rest of the way.

ICC opened the scoring in the first when Graham lifted a sacrifice fly to left that brought home Kent. One inning later, Gunn pushed the lead to 2-0 with a solo home run to center. In the fourth inning, he would rob EMCC's lead-off batter of a home run, which loomed large at the end of the night. It was a play that Miles Mitchell showed Gunn love with a tip of the helmet as he left the field for his defensive effort.

EMCC scratched across a run in the fifth, but ICC never gave the lead back.

Kent provided the final margin in the sixth, turning on a six-pitch at-bat and sending a solo home run to left to make it 3-1.

That was enough for Williams, who gave ICC five strong innings. He allowed two hits and one run while striking out three and walking one. Houston Green picked up the save after giveing up one hit with three strikeouts and a walk in two scoreless innings of work.

"I thought Andrew and Houston were great for us on the mound in Game 2," said Coach Slater Lott. ""Andrew really set the tone early and Houston was great in relief after the weather delay."

Up next, the Indians will travel to Poplarville on Friday to take on No. 2 Pearl River starting at 2 p.m.