Fulton, Miss. – The Indians improved to 4-0 Saturday with a doubleheader sweep of Rend Lake College (IL) behind a pair of strong pitching performances and timely hitting.
Game 1: Indians 5, Rend Lake 1 [Click here for highlights]
Houston Harding (Walls) threw four and two thirds innings and struck out 11 while allowing only one hit to pick up his second win of the young season.
With Harding keeping the Warriors off the bases, the Indians strung together nine hits, five of which were doubles. The Indians first run came in the bottom of the fourth on a Lane Domino (Fulton) double that scored Kylan Carter (Houston), who doubled to lead off the frame. Russell Bunch (Saltillo) followed with a single to plate Domino and put the tribe up 2-0.
Three straight doubles by Braden Ellis (Saltillo), Justin Medlin (Ripley) and Brett Coker (Hendersonville, Tenn) pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth and Austin Powell (Star City, Ark.) ripped an RBI single to round out the scoring.
Game 2: Indians 6, Rend Lake 1 [Click here for highlights]
Rend Lake scored one run on two hits in the opening frame of game two, but the Indians quickly answered with when Medlin ripped a double that scored Jackson Lancaster (Corinth), who hit a one out double.
Sophomore pitcher Austin King (Fulton) put the one run first inning behind him and only allowed two hits over the next five innings. King improved to 2-0 this season and had seven strikeouts while allowing four hits Saturday.
The Indians gave King plenty of run support as the game progressed as Coker hit a RBI single in the third, and a two RBI single in the sixth. In the fourth, the Indians plated two runs on a sacrifice fly by Kyle Crigger (Corinth) and LaBryant Siddell (Belden) reaching on an error.
Weather permitting it will be a quick turnaround for the Indians as they are schedule to host Lake Land College Sunday at 12:30 p.m. in Fulton.
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