Preview: High expectations for 2022 Indians

FULTON, Miss. – After earning the program's highest-ever ranking at No. 2 in the country last year, expectations are high for Coach Andy Kirk and the Itawamba Community College softball team heading into the start of the 2022 season.

ICC will return All-American pitchers Emily Robinson (Springville, Ala.) and Madison Jenkins (Cleveland).

Robinson was selected Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) Pitcher of the Year after her stellar freshman season. She finished with a 9-3 record while leading the country in with nine saves in 29 appearances. Robinson had 87 strikeouts with only 19 walks in 88 innings of work while her 1.59 ERA was sixth best in the country.

Jenkins, a recent Delta State signee, proved to be a dual threat as a pitcher and designated hitter during her freshman campaign. As a pitcher, she was 15-1 with 80 strikeouts and 24 walks. Her 1.93 ERA was 14th best in the nation. At the plate, she had a .267 batting average with .345 on-base and .396 slugging percentages. She had 27 hits with four home runs, a double and 10 runs scored.

In addition, the duo was selected to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Region 23 Team.

The Indians will also return several other talented players such as 2021 All-Conference selections catcher Kara Hays (Mooreville), centerfielder McKenzie Patterson (Corinth) and second baseman Hannah Henry (Brandon).

ICC earned the No. 5 spot in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) preseason poll. Four other MACCC programs earned preseason rankings: No. 2 Jones College, No. 8 Gulf Coast, No. 10 Co-Lin, and No. 17 Pearl River. 

The Indians will start the 2022 season Feb. 4 with a road trip to Cleveland State (Tenn.) before hosting Snead State (Ala.) for its home opener on Feb. 9 starting at 1 p.m. Five of the Indians' first seven non-conference games will be on the road in February.

On Mar. 6, the Indians will host traditional Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) power Lansing (MI) Community College. The Stars have won the conference, state and district championships while advancing to the NJCAA World Series three out of the last five seasons.

ICC will open conference play with back-to-back road games at Jones College (Mar. 11) and Northwest (Mar. 15).

Other conference road games for the Indians include East Central (Mar. 26), Co-Lin (Apr. 2), Northeast (Apr. 12), Gulf Coast (Apr. 23) and Holmes (Apr. 26). Home conference games include Hinds (Mar. 18), Delta (Mar. 23), East Mississippi (Mar. 29), Southwest (Apr. 9), Pearl River (Apr. 15), Coahoma (April 20) and Meridian (Apr. 29).

Over the last three active seasons, ICC is the only program that has finished first or second in the chase for the regular season championship and the conference tournament.

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