Fulton, Miss. – After an unexpected week off due to a snow and ice storm that hit the area hard, the No. 11 Indians picked up where they left off and swept Bevill State with a pair of run-rule victories.
Game 1: Indians 9, Bears 0 (5-innings)
The Indians jumped out to an early lead and never let up as they cruised to a 9-0 five inning victory.
Kara Hays (Mooreville), who went 2-for-3 with and drove in six runs, reached on an error to plate the game's first run in the opening frame. Connor Stevens (Amory) then extended the lead to 2-0 on a sacrifice fly.
In the second inning, the Indians exploded for five runs, three of which came off the bat of Hays who hit a bases loaded double. McKenzie Patterson (Corinth) drew a walk with the bases loaded to plate a run and Josie Meggs (Koscuisko) hit a RBI single.
Hays drove in the game's final two runs in the fourth while the Indian pitching staff didn't allow their first hit until the top of the same inning.
Madison Burrus (Hernando) picked up the win in the circle and threw three perfect innings against nine batters face, and Katie Rutledge (Manchester, Tenn.) finished off the Bears to secure the win.
Game 2: Indians 9, Bears 1 (5-innings)
After the Sophomore Day celebration, the Indians found themselves trailing 1-0 as the Bears pushed across a run to open game two. However, Rutledge and Hays both tripled in the bottom of the inning setting up a three-run frame with Hays and Patterson picking up RBIs.
In the second inning, Meggs tripled and later scored on a ground out to extend the Indians lead to 4-1.
Brianna Posey (Florence, Ala.) and Hannah Henry (Brandon) hit back-to-back doubles to score three runs in the fourth and Meggs followed with a RBI single to push the lead out to 8-1.
Ivy Watts (Tupelo) enforced the run-rule in the bottom of the fourth with a double that scored Patterson and Ka'Mya Hampton (Pinson, Ala.) shut down the Bears in the fifth and struck out two to close out the game.
The Indians next scheduled game is a rematch with Bevill State Thursday at noon in Sumiton, Ala., and then the Indians are scheduled to open conference play against No. 2 Jones this Saturday in Fulton. Weather permitting, the nationally ranked showdown is set to begin at 2 p.m.
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