Indians open season with 10-4 win over Calhoun
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com
FULTON, MS – The Indians opened the season in a big way with an impress 10-4 win over Calhoun Community College on Saturday.
An RBI double by Hayden Williams (Amory) followed by a two-run double by Cody Young (Collierville, TN) and a RBI single from Drake Rowton (Marion, AR) gave the Indians a 4-0 lead after the first inning of play.
"We wanted to try and set the tone early," said Coach Rick Collier. "Calhoun is always a tough team and one that if you let them get out to an early lead they are tough to battle back against."
The Warkhawks plated a run in the top of the second, but Tanner Poole (Amory) got the run back when he bounced the first home run of the season off the second board in the bottom half of the inning before Brayden Owen (Tupelo) tripled and scored on a sac fly by Timothy Rowe (Hernando).
The Indians (1-0, 0-0 MACJC) added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Seth Young (Olive Branch) scored on passed ball, Gable Butler (Tishomingo) scored on a single by Bryce Williams (Ridgeland) and Poole scored on a single to left by Owen.
"The guys did a good job of carrying the early momentum throughout the game," said Collier. "We knew if we could get some runs our pitchers would do a good job of giving us a chance to win on the defensive side of things."
Owen had three hits with Poole, Williams, and Cody Young each adding a pair of hits as the Indians totaled 12 hits in the game.
TJ Watson (Dallas, GA) notched the victory allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out five in five innings of work. Nick Burns (Mantachie) closed out the game giving up one earned run on three hits and one walk while recording a pair of strikeouts in two innings.
"TJ and Nick really got after it and filled up the strike zone and the defense did a good job of giving them the confidence to go after batters," said Collier.
The Indians turned three inning-ending double plays in the first game of the season.
"It really gives you a shot in the arm when you can flip it around the bases to get back in the dugout the way we did today," said Collier.