No. 10 Indians open National Tournament with walk-off win over No. 19 Louisburg

CLINTON, Miss. - In their first trip to the NJCAA National Championship Tournament, the No. 10 Indians won a thriller over No. 19 Louisburg College on a walk-off single by Rachel Sternisha (Olive Branch) in bottom of seventh. 

The Indians (39-14-1) fell behind in the opening frame as the Hurricane's took advantage of an error and plated a run on sacrifice fly. 

Maggie Smithey (New Albany) got the Indians first hit of the game and it was a big one as she smashed a solo home run to dead center, tying the contest at 1-1.

After a scoreless frame, the Hurricanes (36-10) took advantage of another Indian error that led to two runs in the top of the fifth. However, the Indians answered in the bottom half of the inning with a pair of runs to tie the contest again.

Samantha Conley (Mandeville, La.) singled to score Hope Harbin (Columbus), who walked earlier in the inning, and Mattie Meine (Olive Branch) scored the tying run on a bobbled ground ball at third off the bat of Summer Cryder (Tupelo).

The Hurricanes came close to taking the lead int he sixth, but Joanna Vasquez (Southaven) made a leaping catch at the fence that saved an extra base hit, and led to a three up, three down frame.

In the bottom of the seventh, Vasquez led off with a single up the middle and Sternisha hit a bloop single with two outs to score the winning run.

Olivia Burns (Grenada) picked up the win in the circle behind a complete game seven strikeout performance, and improves to 25-5 this season.

The Indians remain in the winner's bracket and will face the four seeded and No. 5 ranked Highland Community College out of Kansas. First pitch is schedule for 3:30 p.m. in Clinton and can be watched live on LetsGoICCTV.com/red.

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