DECATUR, Miss. – After just missing the NJCAA Region Tournament the last two seasons, the Indians exploded for 20 hits in the game three to defeat East Central 10-5 and punch their ticket to regionals.
The bottom of the Indians led the charge as Russell Bunch(Saltillo) and Drake Wallace(Amory) combined for eight of the 20 hits for the tribe with both going 4-for-5. Wallace doubled, drove in a run and scored twice while Bunch doubled, scored twice and picked up three RBI.
Kyle Crigger (Corinth) added a double and a home run while going 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
The Indians (32-15) scored first in the game on a double by Justin Medlin(Ripley) but East Central tie the game in the bottom of the first. In the third, the Indians regained the lead as Crigger scored on a sacrifice fly by Hunter Nabors(Montevallo, Ala.) and then the Indians added to their lead with a four run fourth frame.
Wallace plated the first run on his double and Bunch followed with an RBI single. Crigger then hit a two run home run to give the Indians a 6-1 lead.
East Central scored two runs in both the sixth and seventh to cut the Indians lead to one, 6-5, but another four run inning would put the game out of reach for the Warriors.
Kyle Weaver(Courtland) scored in the first run of the eighth as a throw hit Wallace in the back after a bunt attempt and Bunch followed with a double off the wall to score Wallace. Bunch would later score on a bad throw during a pickoff attempt.
Hunter Hughes(Saltillo) picked up the win from the hill and improves to 6-0 this season.
The Indians will compete in the Region 23 Tournament beginning Wednesday at LSU-Eunice.
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