FULTON, Miss. – Saturday's doubleheader was filled with dramatics as the No. 4 Indians swept Hinds by edging out the Eagles 7-6 in game one and taking game two 5-4 on a walk-off home run by Brett Coker (Hendersonville, Tenn.).
Game 1: Indians 7, Hinds 6
The Indians (35-6-1, 20-4 MACJC) took an early lead off the bat of Jackson Lancaster (Corinth), who blasted a solo home run in the first, and Jacob Hall (Petal) scoring on a ground ball in the second. However, the 2-0 lead would disappear quickly as Hinds plated two runs in the third and one in the fourth to take the lead.
Hinds held their lead through three frames, before the Indians took advantage of Hinds' mistakes to score five runs in the bottom of the seventh to regain the lead. Russell Bunch (Saltillo) scored the first run of the frame on a wild pitch and Kyle Crigger (Corinth) slid in safely on a play at the plate after a ground ball.
Austin Powell (Star City, Ark.) pushed LaBryant Siddell (Belden) across on a sacrifice fly and Justin Medlin (Ripley) stole home. Bunch then rounded out the scoring by drawing a bases loaded walk to score Coker to give the Indians a 7-3 lead.
Hinds answered with a solo home run in the eighth and then hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to make it a one run game with one out. Lancaster took over on the hill and retired both batters he faced to pick up the save and give the Indians the victory.
Houston Harding (Walls) picked up the win to improve to 10-0 this season.
Game 2: Indians 5, Hinds 4
The Indians trailed the entire game in the nightcap until Coker smashed a two-run home run in the seventh to walk it off and pick up the sweep.
Hinds scored all four of their runs in the second inning, but the Indians chipped away scoring two in the second and one in the third. Ray Sandroni (Tupelo) drove in the two second inning runs with a single and Coker doubled in the third to plate a run.
Both teams had scoring chances throughout the mid innings but were unable to plate any runs setting up Coker's walk-off winner.
The Indians remain in first place in the MACJC Standings and hold a two game lead over Northwest, and could clinch the conference title Tuesday when they host Mississippi Delta for their final regular season doubleheader of the season. First pitch for game one is set for 3 p.m.
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