Fulton, Miss. – No. 17 ranked Itawamba Community College baseball opened the 2022 season by earning a doubleheader split with Bevill State Community College Tuesday.
The Indians (1-1) opened the day with a 7-4 win in game one, but dropped a 7-4 decision to the Bears (3-3) in game two.
Game 1: Indians 7, Bears 4
Big hits from Riley Davis (Collierville, Tenn.) and Drew Capobianco (Saltillo) accounted for five of the Indians seven runs.
Davis got the scoring started in the first inning with a two-run home run to left, and Capobianco singled with the bases loaded to drive in two runs in the bottom of the third.
The two big hits mixed with Ty Roberson(Ecru) scoring on a ground out in the first, gave the Indians a 5-0 lead early in the game.
In the fourth, Will Verdung (Corinth) doubled and later scored on a ground ball by Davis to extend the lead to 6-0. However, the six-run lead didn't hold as Bevill State rattled off four runs in the top of the fifth.
Reese Ruth (Fulton) took over on the mound with two outs in the fifth and forced the Bears to leave the bases loaded and keep the Indians out front, 6-4.
The Indians would get an insurance run on a bases loaded walk by Verdung in the bottom of the fifth.
In the final two frames, Ruth shut down the Bears to help the Indians pick up the win and grab his first save of the year. Brady Davis (Hamilton) picked up the win as he threw four and two thirds innings and struck out four.
Game 2: Bears 7, Indians 4
Just like game one, the Indians took an early lead as Roberson scored on a passed ball in the first inning and Verdung hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second to put the Indians ahead 3-0.
The Bears cut the lead to one, 3-2, in the top of the third and two scoreless frames, they would take a 6-3 lead after scoring four runs in the top of the sixth.
A solo home run by Blaine Ware (Batesville) would cut the Bear's lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth, but the Indians were unable to push across another run in the contest.
An insurance run in the top of the seventh capped off the game as they Indians fell 7-4.
The Indians will host Jackson State Community College Saturday with first pitch of game one scheduled for 1 p.m.
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