Fulton, Miss. – No. 15 Itawamba Community College baseball opened postseason play with an 8-4 win over Hinds Community College to take a 1-0 series lead.
Jaxin Settlemires (Kossuth) powered through the Eagles pitching staff, blasting two two-run home runs, while starting pitcher Ben Davis (Booneville) (video) and Brady Davis (Hamilton) kept them off balance.
The Indians (34-11) had 12 hits in the contest, while the Davis duo held the Eagles to only five.
Jackson Lee (Calhoun City) gave the Indians an early lead on a run-scoring single in the first (video), but a solo home run by the Eagles in the top of the second quickly tied the contest.
A single by Ty Roberson (Ecru), who went 2-for-3, in the bottom of the second put the Indians back in front with a one run advantage (video).
In the bottom of the third, Settlemires, who went 3-for-4, hit his first two-run home run of the game to left field (video) to extend the Indians' lead to 4-1.
Settlemires struck again in the bottom of the fifth with his second two-run home run (video) in almost the same location as his first. Also in the frame, Dre McCray (Water Valley) singled in a run and Gray Bane (Olive Branch) scored on a passed ball to stretch the Indians lead to 8-1.
The Eagles pieced together some hits to score three-runs in the top of the seventh, but Brady Davis entered and retired seven of the eight batters he faced to secure the win.
Game two of the best-of-three series is scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. in Fulton and will be available on LetsGoICCTV.com/red.
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