DECATUR, Miss. – In game one of the best-of-three NJCAA Region Playoffs, the Indians inflicted the mercy rule on East Central after a five run seventh to pick up the 11-2 win.
The Indians (31-14) had seven players combine for nine hits and the two batter to not reach base safely helped the cause by picking up RBIs.
Hunter Nabors(Montevallo, Ala.) led the charge for the Indians going 3-for-4 while Kyle Crigger (Corinth) added a double and Connor Lewis(Corinth) tripled.
Justin Medlin(Ripley) and Jackson Lancaster(Corinth) picked up 2 RBI and Lancaster scored three times after drawing three walks in the contest.
On the mound, Houston Harding(Walls) benefitted from the huge amount of run support while he struck out seven in six innings of work to pick up his eighth win this season.
The Indians didn't waste any time getting on the board as Lancaster scored as Medlin reached on a fielder's choice in the first frame, before adding three runs in the second. Crigger's doubled home a run, Russell Bunch(Saltillo) scored on a ground out and a passed ball allowed Crigger to score and extend the lead to 4-0.
East Central pushed across a run in the bottom of the second but Lewis' triple in the fifth and Lancaster scoring on a wild pitch in the sixth gave the Indians a 6-1 advantage.
After East Central added a run in the bottom of the sixth, the Indians started a five run inning with a bases loaded walk by Lancaster, followed by a Nabors single. LaBryant Siddell(Belden) drew a walk to added another run and Lancaster scored on another wild pitch before Medlin single to right to plate the game's final run.
Game two of the best-of-three series is set for Friday at 2:30 pm in Decatur.
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