Indians get conference sweep over East Mississippi

Fulton, Miss. – Itawamba Community College baseball picked up the conference sweep of East Mississippi Community College Wednesday and have won eight straight games.

The Indians (26-8, 13-5 MACCC) took down the Lions in game one with a 13-3 run-rule victory and Bo Rock (Amory) delivered a walk-off single for the 7-6 game two win.

Game 1: Indians 13, Lions 3 (8-innings)

The top of the Indians' lineup propelled them to the 13-3 game one run-rule win.

Drew Capobianco (Saltillo), Matthew Martinolich (Ellisville) and Will Verdung (Corinth) combined for nine of the Indians' 15 hits.

Martinolich led the charge going 4-for-5 with two RBI and was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the eighth, scoring the game ending run.

Capobianco went 3-for-5 with an RBI while Verdung 2-for-3 and picking up one RBI.

The Indians jumped out to an early lead, but the Lions rallied to tie the game at 3-3 in the top of the third. However, Jaxin Settlemires (Kossuth) led off the bottom of the frame with a home run to put the Indians back in front, 4-3.

Dre McCray (Water Valley), who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Rock doubled in runs in their next at bats to extend the lead, and Gray Bane (Olive Branch) singled in a run to give the Indians an 8-3 lead after four innings.

The Indians scored four runs on hits by Capobianco, Martinolich and McCray in the bottom of the sixth to stretch the lead out to 12-3.

On the mound, Brady Davis (Hamilton) and Matt Bourdon (Collierville, Tenn.) combined to strike out eight and hold the Lions scoreless in the final five innings and secure the game one win. Davis picked up the win and improves to 4-0 this season.

The win also gave Coach Rick Collier his 650th win as Head Coach at ICC.

Game 2: Indians 7, Lions 6

The Indians ended game one early as they enforced the run-rule in the eighth, but Rock delivered a real walk-off in game two with a game ending single in the bottom of the seventh for the 7-6 victory.

Prior to Rock's game winning heroics, the Indians jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but a mixture of hits and errors, allowed the Lions to tie the game in the third.

Eli Hancock (Houston) put the Indians back in the lead with a RBI single in the fourth, and Settlemires, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, singled in a run in the fifth. Also, a Lions error allowed an additional run to score in the fifth to put the Indians up 6-3.

In the top of the sixth, the Lions were able to tie the game once again, scoring three runs on two hits, four walks and an error.

Rock, who entered to pitch in the top half of the sixth, held the Lions scoreless in the top of the seventh to set up his walk-off hit in bottom half. Verdung led off the frame with a single and after a strikeout and a walk, Rock hit the single to left to give the Indians the win and the sweep.

The Indians will travel to Decatur Saturday for a big conference doubleheader against the league leading East Central Community College Warriors. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
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