Indians earn road split at East Mississippi

SCOOBA, Miss. – The Itawamba Community College softball team picked up a road sweep at East Mississippi on Wednesday.

Game 1: Indians 6, Lions 4

The Indians used timely hitting to pick up the 6-4 win over East Mississippi in game one.

ICC got on the board in the second inning after Tayler Graham delivered a bases-clearing triple followed by an RBI ground out from Jenna Whitfield. The Lions answered in the third with two runs to make it 4-2 in favor of the Indians through three.

In the fifth, AB Marlar hit a solo home run to center to extend the Indians' lead and Taylar Shands added an insurance run in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly that scored Maddie Porter. The Lions got two runs back with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the seventh, but ICC was able to hold on for the win.

Alyssa Clifft picked up the win for ICC, picking up eight strikeouts while walking a batter and giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits.

Joryie McKnight led with three hits while Graham and Shands each added two.

Game 2: Lions 6, Indians 5

The Indians couldn't overcome a big first inning by the Lions as they dropped game two, 6-5.

ICC got on the board first in the opening inning when Maddie Porter doubled to score Joryie McKnight, but the Lions answered with a four-run bottom of the frame to take a 4-1 lead.

The Indians made it a one-run game in the top of the third when Laklyn Nichols scored on an error followed by McKnight scoring on a passed ball. East Mississippi would extend their lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth.

In the sixth, Joryie McKnight hit a ground ball and reached on an error, which allowed Jenna Whitfield and Tayler Graham to score, but that was all the Indians could generate late in the contest.

Ella Lilly was the pitcher of record for ICC as she picked up two strikeouts and issued two walks while giving up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits.

Nichols, Whitfield, Porter and Maddie McClendon each collected a hit for the Indians.