No. 10 Indians split on the road with Bevill State

SUMITON, Ala. – In two polar opposite games, the No. 10 Indians earned a split with Bevill State (Ala.) Community College winning Game One in dominating fashion 21-0 in five innings, and dropping Game Two, 6-3.

Game 1: No. 10 Indians 21, Bevill State 0 (5 innings) 

The Indians (4-2) scored 11 runs on four hits, four errors and three walks in the top of the first and cruised to a 21-0 win in five innings in the first game of the day. 

Samantha Conley (Mandeville, La.) got things going for the Indians with a two-run double before an error allowed a third run to score on the play. After adding two runs on a pair of errors, Rachel Sternisha (Olive Branch) drove in a pair of runs on a single. Macey Cox (Troy, Tenn.) then added a run on a RBI single before Summer Cryder (Tupelo) pushed across two more runs with a triple. 

Bevill State went three up and three down in the bottom half of the inning. 

The Indians poured on five more runs in the second. Mattie Meine (Olive Branch) smashed a two-run triple and scored on a single by Sternisha. Cryder doubled to plate Sternisha and Landyn Stoddard (Calhoun City) to take a 16-0 lead. 

Jessica Davis (Cumberland) blasted a three-run home run to extend the Indians' lead to 19-0 in the third. Hannah Sparks (Mantachie) and Emma Grace Schell (Nesbit) added RBI singles in the fourth and fifth inning to round out the Indians' offensive onslaught. 

Hannah Swallers (Olive Branch) picked up her first collegiate win throwing three innings, striking out two and allowing one hit.

Game 2: Bevill State 6, No. 10 Indians 3

Bevill State jumped out to an early lead and hold off the Indians' late rally to pick up the 6-3 win of the twin bill.

The Indians trailed 4-0 after four innings, but Sternisha and Cox put the Indians on the board with back-to-back RBI doubles in the top of the fifth to cut Bevill State's lead in half, 4-2. However, the Lady Bears (4-2) answered in the bottom of the frame with a two-run home run to left to extend their lead to 6-2.

In the top of the seventh, Meine singled, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball to lead off the innings and Sternisha ripped a single to score her and cut the Lady bears lead to 6-3 with no outs. After a walk by Cox, the Lady Bears turned a double play and recorded the third out on a hard hit ball to center to pick up the win and the sweep.

Kaylee Nelson (Moulton, Ala.) was the pitcher of record after giving up four runs on two hits and three walks.

The Indians will host Snead State (Ala.) Community College Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 2/4 pm, weather permitting.

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