Indians Climb to No. 10 in Latest NJCAA Poll
Itawamba Community College softball has climbed into the top 10.
FULTON, Miss. - Itawamba Community College softball has climbed into the top 10.
After opening conference play with a sweep of then-No. 20 Gulf Coast, the Indians moved up from No. 12 to No. 10 in the latest NJCAA Division II softball rankings. ICC is now 20-4 on the season and enters the new week with momentum after a 1-0 12-inning win and a 6-4 victory over the Bulldogs.
AB Marlar has led the offense with a massive start to the year, batting .544 with 10 home runs and 26 RBIs in 23 games. Victoria Fields has added punch throughout the lineup with a .352 average, 10 doubles, four triples and 16 RBIs, while Taylar Shands has driven in a team-high 28 runs and hit eight home runs.
The Indians have also created pressure in multiple ways. Alana Dossey has scored 17 runs and stolen 10 bases, while Ella Duhon has added 18 runs scored, six doubles, three home runs and seven stolen bases. As a team, ICC is batting .322 with 35 home runs, 172 runs scored and 57 stolen bases through 24 games.
In the circle, the Indians have posted a 2.02 team ERA and struck out 187 batters in 155.2 innings. Ramsey Montgomery has been the headliner with a 7-3 record, a 1.67 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 63 innings. Lizzie Meeks is 7-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 52 strikeouts, while Alanee Wheeler is 2-0 and has not allowed an earned run in 15 innings of work.
Montgomery delivered one of the biggest performances of the season in the opening game against Gulf Coast, striking out 19 in a 1-0 win in 12 innings to set the program record for strikeouts in a game.
The rise in the rankings also speaks to the challenge of Region 23. Eight teams from the region are ranked in the NJCAA Division II Top 25, including five in the top 10. Pearl River is No. 1, Co-Lin is No. 3, Jones is No. 6, LSU-Eunice is No. 7 and ICC is now No. 10. Hinds is No. 18, Northeast is No. 19 and Gulf Coast is No. 22.
ICC is scheduled to host Mississippi Delta on Tuesday, weather pending, before wrapping up Spring Break with a doubleheader at Meridian on Saturday.