TANNER, Ala. – The Indians' bat were red-hot in a 20-2 win in five innings in the first game at Calhoun (Ala.) Community College, but cooled off in timely situations in a 3-3 tie in eight innings after the game was called due to darkness in the nightcap.
No. 15 Indians 20, Calhoun 2 (5 innings)
The Indians wasted little time jumping on top of Calhoun after scoring five runs in the top of the first inning.
Mattie Meine (Olive Branch) singled and scored on a single by Macey Cox (Troy, Tenn.). Samantha Conley (Mandeville, La.) walked and Summer Cryder (Tupelo) reached on an error before scoring on a single by Kacey Carpenter (Grenada). Cox scored when Maggie Smithey (New Albany) reached on a fielder's choice, who later scored on a single by Jessica Davis (Cumberland).
ICC continued to roll in the top of the second by pushing across eight runs to take a 13-0 lead over the Warhawks. After a pop up to the pitcher to start the inning, the Indians had eight-straight hits in the inning.
Rachel Sternisha (Olive Branch) singled and scored on a double by Conley, who scored on a double by Cryder. Cryder scored on a single by Cox, who scored on a single my Smithey. Carpenter, Smithey, and Hope Harbin (Columbus) scored on a bases-loaded double before the Warhawks could get out of the inning.
Calhoun got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the second to make it a 13-2 contest.
The Indians answered with five runs in the top of the third to make it a 18-2 game.
Cryder walked and scored when Smithey drew a bases-loaded walk. Cox was hit by a pitch and was replaced on the bases by Ellie Menie (Olive Branch), who scored on a sacrifice fly by Harbin. Carpenter was hit by a pitch and scored when Mattie drew a second bases-loaded walk in the inning. Davis walked and scored, along with Mattie, on a single by Emma Grace Schell (Nesbit).
Schell scored on a single by Ellie before Cryder scored on a single by Abigail Colvin (Macon) to make it a 20-2 game in the top of the fifth.
Olivia Burns (Grenada) picked up the win after giving up two runs, both earned, on four hits and walk while striking out four in three innings of work.
Colvin, Ellie, Cox, and Davis each had a pair of hits with Davis driving in four runs in the run-rule victory.
EDITOR'S NOTE (3/14/19 9:06 PM): Calhoun's coach continues to change the final score to 19-2 despite video evidence showing that a run was accidentally omitted on the scoreboard in the five-run third inning - AG
No. 15 Indians 3, Calhoun 3 (8 innings; game called due to darkness)
Kaylee Nelson (Moulton, Ala.) and Calhoun's Mckeena Rose put on a pitching clinic the final game of the day.
Nelson gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and three walks while striking out seven in a no decision. Despite surrendering 12 hits and a pair of earned runs, Rose kept the Indians from coming up with timely hits with runners in scoring position to keep the Warhawks in the game.
ICC left eight runners stranded in scoring position in eight innings of play.
The Indians took a 1-0 lead on a solo home run from Carpenter in the top of the second.
Calhoun came up with a clutch two-out hit from Caroline Parker to score Crystal McElhaney in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Mattie singled to start the seventh inning and advance to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sternisha, but was left stranded after a fly ball to left field and a timely strikeout by Rose ended the inning. The Warhawks put the winning run on second after back-to-back two-out walks, but Nelson picked up her fifth strikeout of the game to get out of the jam.
After a conversation between the coaches and umpires, the game went into extra innings with the international tiebreaker rule.
Cryder started the inning at second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cox before scoring on a double off the wall by Carpenter. Carpenter scored on a single by Smithey, who advanced to second on a single by Joanna Vasquez (Southaven) – both were left stranded after a strikeout and ground ball to first get out of the inning.
Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI.
McElheny started the bottom half of the eighth at second base and advanced to third on a single by Jessica Shaw, who wisely advanced into scoring position on the throw home by the Indians. Nelson picked up back-to-back strikeouts, but Garth delivered a timely double to the gap to push across a pair of runs. The Indians ran down a fly ball to centerfield to end the inning.
The game was called due to darkness with the game ending in a 3-3 tie.
ICC will step back into conference play on Wednesday, March 20 against No. 11 Northeast Mississippi Community College. The First American National Bank opening pitch for game one is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Booneville. The games will be available on LetsGoICCTV.com/red.
For more information on ICC softball, follow the Indians on Twitter (@LetsGoICC).