Perkinston, Miss. – Itawamba Community College baseball battled to with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Saturday, but suffered its first sweep this season, falling 10-6 in game one and dropping game two 7-6 on a walk-off hit.
Game 1: Bulldogs 10, Indians 6
The Indians (15-6, 3-3 MACCC) fell behind early with Gulf Coast scoring five runs in the third and extended the lead to 9-0, scoring two runs in the fourth and sixth frames.
Down 9-0, the Indians rallied in the seventh to score five runs highlighted by a two-run scoring double by Will Verdung (Corinth) that cut the lead to 9-5.
The Bulldogs plated a run in the bottom of the eighth to stretch the lead out to 10-5.
In the ninth, Jaxin Settlemires (Kossuth) hit a solo home run, but it would be the only run the Indians could get across the plate as they fell 10-6.
Game 2: Bulldogs 7, Indians 6
The Indians opened game two by quickly taking a two-run lead on a double by Jackson Lee (Calhoun City) in the top of the first. However, Gulf Coast answered with five runs in the bottom half, highlighted by a three-run home run to take a 5-2 lead.
In the top of the second, Verdung, who went 3-for-3 with three doubles, doubled to score two runs and cut the Bulldogs lead to 5-4.
The Indians tied the game at 5-5 when Lee scored on a sacrifice fly in the third, but the Bulldogs regained the lead on a run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning.
A wild pitch in the top of the sixth allowed Matthew Martinolich (Ellisville) to score and tie the game at 6.
The game appeared as if it would be decided in extra innings, but the Bulldogs hit a two-out double to score the game winning run and pick up the sweep.
After being on the road all week, the Indians return to Fulton next week for a pair of conference doubleheaders. Tuesday, the Indians will host Coahoma Community College at 3 and 6 p.m., and Saturday nationally ranked Pearl River Community College comes to Fulton for games at 2 and 5 p.m.
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