CLINTON, Miss. – The No. 10 Indians avoided elimination in their first-ever national tournament appearance with a 5-3 win over Cuyahoga (OH) Community College on Thursday.
Less than an hour after falling to No. 5 Highland (KS), the Indians saw the Triceratops jumped out to a 3-0 lead through five innings of play before the Indians' bats woke up in the bottom of the sixth inning.
With the season on the line, ICC scored five runs in the sixth to take a 5-3 lead.
Rachel Sternisha (Olive Branch) walked and stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch. Samantha Conley (Mandeville, LA) walked and was replaced on the bases by Hannah Sparks (Mantachie) to put runners on the corners with no outs in the inning.
Summer Cryder (Tupelo) blasted a double to score Sternisha and Sparks to make it a one-run contest.
Macey Cox (Troy, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch and was replaced on the bases by Makenzie Toombs (Ackerman) to put runners on first and second with no outs in the inning. Jessica Davis (Cumberland) ripped a single through the infield to tie the game when Cryder scored. Toombs advanced to third and Lilli Moore (Fulton) came in to run for Davis and stole second on the first pitch to Maggie Smithey (Ingomar).
Smithey lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Toombs to give the Indians a 4-3 lead. Moore advanced to third on the play and scored on a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield by Ellie Meine (Olive Brach) to put the Indians up 5-3 before Cuyahoga could get out of the inning.
The Indians got a three up, three down top of the seventh to secure the come-from-behind win.
Hope Harbin (Columbus) went 2-for-3 to pace the Indians at the plate.
Olivia Burns (Greanda) gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits and four walks while striking out eight in seven innings of work.
ICC will face Johnson County (KS) in their second elimination game of the tournament. The Cavaliers defeated Illinois Central 11-0 in five innings to also avoid elimination earlier in the day.