Fulton, Miss. – In a battle for first place in the conference, the No. 11 Indians and No. 2 Pearl River split the big doubleheader to remain tie atop the standings.
Game 1: Wildcats 11, Indians 5
It was a tight game and a slugfest all in one in the series opener, but a five-run inning propelled Pearl River to the 11-5 win.
Pearl River jumped out early on the Indians scoring three runs in the first two innings, but the Indians powered back in the bottom of the second to tie the contest on a three-run home run from Connar Gardner (Southaven). Drew Capobianco (Guntown) followed with a bloop single to give the Indians a 4-3 lead.
The Indians would extend their lead to 5-3 on a Lane Domino (Fulton) double but Pearl River quickly answered with a run in the fifth to make it a one-run game again.
The game was setting up for an exciting finish until the Wildcats' bats got hot in the seventh as they plated five runs to take a 9-5 lead. A home run in the ninth extend the Wildcats lead to 11-5 and allowed them to pick up the game one victory.
Game 2: Indians 10, Wildcats 8
The Indians quickly shook off game one picked up the win in game two behind a fast start and a big four-run sixth.
In the first two innings, the Indians scored six runs to take a 6-0 lead highlighted by a two-run home run by Hayden Harris (Pontotoc), but Pearl River quickly cut into the lead scoring two runs in the third and two more in the fifth to make it a two-run game.
With the game winding down, the Indians got some insurance runs as Harris drove in two with a double and Kylan Carter (Houston) hitting a two-run home run to put the Indians up 10-4 heading to the final inning.
The four insurance runs turned out to be the Indians saving grace as Pearl River answered with four runs of their own in the top of the seventh before the Indians could close it out to pick up the 10-8 victory and the split.
Next up for the Indians is a road test with Holmes Wednesday in Goodman. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and will be available at holmesccmedia.com/white-channel. It will be the second meeting this season between the Indians and Bulldogs as they played a non-conference doubleheader early this season that ICC swept, 3-2, 12-2.
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