No. 18 Indians sweep East Mississippi

SCOOBA, Miss. – Emily Robinson (Springville, Ala.) and Hallie Turner (Southaven) tossed a pair of complete game gems to help the Indians sweep East Mississippi on Wednesday.

Game 1: No. 18 Indians 6, Lions 2

It had been 11 days since the No. 18 Indians (23-10, 10-6 MACCC) last took the diamond and it showed early on in the first game of the day against the Lions (11-27, 8-10 MACCC).

Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-run single by Allie Beckley (Pontotoc), it wasn't until fifth inning when the Indians bats started to wake up.

Leading 3-1 after a RBI ground out by Beckley that scored Haylee Alberson (Hernando), the Indians scored three runs on three hits and two walks to pull away for a 6-1 lead in the fifth. Sammie Day-Jones (Ragland, Ala.) and Jessi Smith (Senatobia) started the inning with back-to-back singles and moved up a base on a passed ball. Riley Tyree (Trussville, Ala.) drew a walk to load the bases with no outs in the inning. After a pitching change by the Lions, Rayne Rippee (Sardis) delivered a single to plate Day-Jones and Emma Rose Thompson followed with a ground out that scored Smith. Tyree stole home to score the final run of the inning.

Tyree, Alberson, and Beckley each had two hits in the win.

East Mississippi answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back doubles before a groundout back to the pitcher ended the rally.

While the Indians bats were warming up, Robison (11-4) was keeping the Lions' bats quiet through five and two-thirds inning before a bunt by the Lions broke up the no-hitter. She gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits and one walk while striking out four in the complete game effort.

Robinson collected her 100th strikeout of the season on the final out of the second inning.

Game 2: No. 18 Indians 5, Lions 3

The Indians held off a rally from the Lions in the bottom of the seventh to complete the sweep with a 5-3 win in the nightcap.

Julia Shaw (Hernando) got things going for offense with a solo home run in the top of the second. The Indians tacked on three runs in the third when Day-Jones singled to drive in Beckley and Tyree added a two-run double to bring Day-Jones and Smith home.

Sarah Kate Thompson (Myrtle) appeared to give the Indians a 6-0 advantage with a single up the middle to plate Alberson and Bailey Ware (Batesville), but a mysterious runner interference call erased one of the two run from the board in the fourth.

The Indians scored two more runs on a pop-up in the infield that spun away from the infielder and a throwing error to third, but another questionable runner interference call ended the inning and kept it a 5-0 game heading to the bottom of the seventh.

The Lions cashed in on three errors to score three runs before the Indians could escape with the two-run victory.

Day-Jones had three hits while Sarah Kate Thompson, Hanna Grace Gillean (Mantachie), Shaw, and Beckley each added a pair of hits as the Indians combined for 15 hits in the win.

Turner (5-2) had a perfect game going through four innings of work before the Lions singled to start the bottom of the fifth. She gave up three runs, none earned, on two hits and four walks while adding a season-high eight strikeouts in the complete game effort.

The Indians will be back in action on Saturday when they host East Central (21-18, 6-10 MACCC) starting at 2 p.m.

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