Indians roll in 18-5 win over Williams Baptist
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com
WALNUT RIDGE, AR – The Indians eventually shook off the nearly four-hour bus ride to Williams Baptist College to pull away for an 18-5 Game 1 win over the Eagles on Monday.
"You always worry about how your guys are going to respond after getting off a long trip like we had today," said Coach Rick Collier. "The guys fought early and eventually got things rolling in a big way to be able to pick up a big win in our first road test of the season."
Tanner Poole (Amory) broke open a 3-2 game with a three-run home run in the fourth inning before tacking on another three runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth.
"Tanner had a really good freshman season and has been working to build off the success he had for us last season and it's really showing here in the first four games of the year," said Collier.
The three-run shot was Poole's second home run of the season.
ICC added five insurance runs to put the game on ice in the seventh.
"I really liked how the guys battled all the way to the end of the game," commented Collier. "Sometimes it's real easy to get a pretty good lead and lose your intensity to let teams get back in the game and that's something you can't afford to do, especially when division play rolls around."
Poole totaled three RBIs on three hits as the Indians racked up 13 hits on the afternoon. Cody Young (Collierville, TN) had three hits while Timothy Rowe (Hernando) and Seth Young (Olive Branch) added two hits each.
Dylan Taylor (Fulton) picked up the win giving three runs, two earned, on two hits and five walks while striking out four before Blake Wigginton (Saltillo) closed the door on the Eagles giving up two runs, one earned, on two hits and one walk while striking out one.
"I thought Dylan and Blake did a good job giving us a chance to win," said Collier. "Pitching depth is going to be a key to our success this season and I felt like they threw a pretty good game for their first outing on this level."
The Indians improved to 3-0 with the victory.