The No. 18 ranked Itawamba Lady Indians used a big inning in each game to pull away from the East Central Community College Lady Warriors and sweep an MACJC softball doubleheader Friday, March 29, at the Softball Park in Decatur.
Itawamba scored 12 runs in the top of the fifth inning to break open a close game and take a 16-3 win. The lady Indians used a four-run top of the second to pull away for a 6-1 win in the nightcap.
With the losses, East Central falls to 13-9 overall and 6-4 in league play. The visitors from Fulton improved to 19-8-1 overall and 9-1 in the league.
East Central took a 3-0 lead over the ranked Lady Indians in game one. Freshman catcher Anna McNeer (Canton Academy) doubled and sophomore shortstop Annika Jones (Leake Academy) singled in the bottom of the second. McNeer would score on a passed ball and Jones crossed the plate on a ground out by freshman right fielder EmilySue Parkman (Lake). Freshman left fielder Olivia Houston (Northwest Rankin) singled in another run in the next inning and the Lady Warriors led 3-0 after three innings of play.
From there, it was all Lady Indians as Itawamba scored four in the fourth and 12 in the fifth to end the game by run-rule.
Freshman Braelyn Boykin (Mize) took the loss in the circle for East Central.
Itawamba scored four runs after two outs in the top of the second in game two, and the plated two more runs in the top of the seventh. East Central's only run in the 6-1 loss came on an RBI single from freshman second baseman Kaylee Webb (Ruston, La.) in the bottom of the seventh. Webb had three of the Lady Warriors' five hits in the loss. East Central left eight runners on base in the contest.
Freshman pitcher Jesalyn Jarrette (Baskin, La., Franklin Academy) took the loss, throwing all seven innings for the Lady Warriors.
The Lady Warriors will entertain No. 9 ranked Gulf Coast at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, before traveling to Sumiton, Ala., to face Bevill State in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 5.
Most East Central home softball games can be heard on WKOZ "Cruisin" 98.3 or watched via live stream video at www.eccc.edu/eccc-media.
East Central freshman second baseman Kaylee Webb steals second base in the first game against Itawamba. (EC Photo)