SCOOBA, Miss. – The Indians bounced back from a tough loss in game one and earned a split with East Mississippi behind a stellar pitching performance from Eli Akins.
Game 2: Indians 2, East Mississippi 1
Akins struck out eight and scattered two hits in a complete game effort to help the Indians earn a split with East Mississippi after picking up a 2-1 win in game two.
Stone Collier drove in Jude Treadaway on a single to center to make it a 2-1 game heading to the bottom of the seventh. East Mississippi opened the inning with a triple and made it one one-run game when on a ground out. Akins forced the final Lion batter to pop out to third to secure the win for the Indians.
The Indians got on the board in the top of second when Ty Wicker scored on a sacrifice fly by Dre McCray.
Collier had a pair of hits while Ben Davis and Hayden Roberts each added a double in the win.
Akins gave up one run, earned, on two hits and two walks to go along with his eight strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Game 1: East Mississippi 4, Indians 3
East Mississippi scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to pick up a 4-3 walk-off win in the first game of the day.
The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when McCray smashed a home run to left. The Lions rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth when they drew a bases-loaded walk.
Jaxin Settlemires responded with a single to left to plate Treadaway to put the Indians back on top, 2-1.
East Mississippi pulled even, 2-2, with a single in the home half of the seventh. The Indians answered with a bomb to left from Ben Davis to retake the lead 3-2 in the eighth before the Lions' late-game heroics to pick up the win.
Settlemires had a pair of hits while Luke Wood added a double. Davis and McCray each had a solo home run.
Tyler Yearwood was the pitcher of record after giving three runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out six in 3.2 innings of work.
The Indians are scheduled to host No. 2 East Central at 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday