Fulton, Miss. – The No. 12 ranked Indians opened their season Tuesday and split the doubleheader falling in game one 3-0 in extra innings and bouncing back with a 9-0 run-rule victory in game two.
Game 1: Bucs 3, Indians 0 (8 innings)
The first game of the twin bill was a pitcher's duel with ICC's Madison Burrus (Hernando) and Shelton State's Emily Boin both keeping their opponents at bay and forcing extra innings.
Burrus no-hit the Bucs for seven and two thirds innings but they were able to take advantage of a fielding error with two outs to take the lead and then picked up two hits to extend their lead to 3-0.
The Indians were held to four hits in the contest.
Game 2: Indians 9, Bucs 0 (5 innings)
Madison Jenkins (Cleveland) led the Indians offensive explosion with a five RBI performance at the plate and throwing four shutout innings in the circle.
In the first inning, Jenkins drove in two-runs with an infield single after McKenzie Patterson (Corinth) scored the game's first run on a ground out earlier in the inning.
The Indians extended their lead to 5-0 in the second inning after Ivy Watts (Tupelo) and Kara Hays (Mooreville) where hit in back-to-back at bats with the bases loaded. Before the frame was over Jenkins struck again with her second two-run single to put the Tribe up 7-0.
After a scoreless third, Watts crushed her first home run of the season over the left field fence to enforce the run-rule with an 8-0 lead, but the Tribe wasn't done yet as Jenkins picked up her fifth and final RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly that score Hays.
Emily Robinson (Springville, Ala.) came in shut down Shelton State in the top of the fifth to secure the Indians 9-0 run-rule victory.
No rest for the Indians who host Snead State Wednesday for another doubleheader. The First American National Bank first pitch from Fulton is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and will be available on LetsGoICCTV.com/blue.
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