Timely hitting sparks ICC past ECCC, 4-2
Adam Gore/LetsGoICC.com
ELLISVILLE, MS – Freshman Meg Sullivan (Springville, AL) hit her second home run of the tournament to help the No. 6 ICC softball team punch its ticket to next week's NJCAA Region 23 Tournament with a 4-2 win over No. 8 East Central Community College on Saturday at Jones County Junior College.
The Indians (39-11-1) built an early 2-0 lead on Sullivan's home run and a single by Cori Childs (New Site) to plate Caroline Dickins (Batesville) in the bottom of the second. East Central (42-8) tied the game, 2-2, on a two-run double by Brittney McCray in the top of the fifth, but the Indians with a pair of runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.
Mary Kansas Sullivan (Houston) singled and was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Kelsie Yates (Yazoo City), who advance on a sacrifice bunt by Childs and scored on a double by Alex Brown (Pontotoc). Mamie Hollenhead (Mathiston) delivered a clutch two-out double to plate Brown and give the Indians a two-run cushion.
The Warriors put the tying run on first with one out in the top of the sixth before back-to-back ground outs to second ended the threat.
The Indians got a three up, three down inning in the top of the seventh to advance to the second elimination game of the tournament against No. 7 Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (38-11). The Bulldogs were defeated by No. 1 Jones County Junior College (46-2) in the first game of the day.
Carleigh Mills (Corinth) picked up her 19th win of the season after replacing Dickins with one out in the fifth.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE INDIANS' WIN OVER EAST CENTRAL
The win was the 39th of the season for the Indians, tying the mark for most wins in a single season, and qualified the Indians for next week's NJCAA Region 23 Tournament.
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