Patterson, Rutledge lead No. 6 Itawamba over No. 3 Co-Lin

FULTON – The No. 6 ranked Itawamba Lady Indians swept a pair of games from the No. 3 ranked Co-Lin Lady Wolves, 7-4 in game one and 4-3 in nine innings in game two.

"In our first really big road test of the season, I thought our ladies fought all afternoon," said Co-Lin assistant softball coach Drake Flowers. "It's tough to go four hours away and play a team that's as talented as Itawamba. They did a good job of putting some big hits together. We did pretty well at going toe to toe with them at the plate; we just couldn't get one or two big hits when we needed them. We are a young team that will do nothing but get better from this. To go 12-2 through the first half of conference play is pretty impressive. Now we will recollect ourselves and get better to come back fighting for the second half of the conference schedule."

GAME 1

The Lady Wolves scored a run in the top of the first inning. Madi Miller (Brookhaven/Brookhaven High School) drew a lead off walk. Shelbi Maxwell (Wesson/Wesson Attendance Center) was hit by a pitch. Abigail Carter (Mendenhall/Simpson Academy) singled to score Miller.

The Lady Indians plated a run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Ivy Watts.

ICC added a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. Katie Rutledge's RBI triple and a passed ball gave the Lady Indians a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth inning with the bases loaded McKenzie Patterson hit a grand slam to give the Lady Indians a 7-1 lead.

In the top of the sixth, Carter doubled. Pitcher Cera Blanchard (Metairie, LA/De La Salle High School) tripled to score pinch runner Faith Ashley (Brandon/Pisgah High School). Madalyn Wilkinson (Madison/Germantown High School) singled to score pinch runner Leah Beth Luckey (Mendenhall/Simpson Academy). Wilkinson advanced to second on a passed ball. Bela Dekovic's (Belle Chase, LA/Belle Chasse High School) RBI single plated Wilkinson as the Lady Wolves closed the gap 7-4.

"A lot of credit goes to ICC," said Flowers. "They were able to execute their small ball game well and get some timely hits when they needed them. We actually hit the ball pretty well in the sense that we out hit them, just weren't about to put enough of them together at the right time."

Winning pitcher for ICC was Madison Burns.  She allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits struck out three and walked one in 5.1 innings. Emily Robinson relieved Burns in the sixth. She scattered two hits and struck out three.

Blanchard (9-1) suffered her first loss of the season. She gave up seven runs (six earned) on seven hits, struck out four and walked two in six innings of work.

At the plate for the Lady Wolves, Carter led the way with a double and a single and an RBI. Blanchard tripled, singled and had an RBI. Adding support with a single apiece were Miller, Carlon Brabham (Amite, LA/Oak Forest Academy), Dekovic (RBI), Wilkinson (RBI), Maxwell, and Karly Leake (Bogue Chitto/Bogue Chitto High School).

For ICC, Patterson was 3-for-4 with a grand slam and a pair of singles and four RBIs. Rutledge was 3-for-3 with a double and a pair of singles. Adding support with a single was Hannah Henry.

GAME 2

The Lady Indians scored single runs in the first and fifth innings for a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning with one out, Carter reached base on an error. Wilkinson singled to right field. Dekovic sent a shot over the left field fence to give the Lady Wolves a 3-2 lead.

ICC scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning aided by a walk and an error.

After a scoreless eighth inning, the Lady Indians scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning on a bases loaded passed ball for the 4-3 win.

"We fought impressively had in game two," said Flowers. "Bella did an excellent job in the circle of keeping the ICC offense at bay. It was an extremely good effort from a really young team that found a way to compete in a really tough environment. I'm really proud of how hard we played."

Bella Luckey (Mendenhall/Simpson Academy) took the loss for Co-Lin. She gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits, struck out three and walked four in 8.2 innings of work.

Winning pitcher for the Lady Indians was Madison Jenkins. She gave up three runs (no earned) on four hits, struck out two and walked three. Emily Robinson tossed the final three innings scattering two hits and striking out two.

Leading Co-Lin at the plate was Maxwell with a pair of singles. Dekovic delivered the big blow with a three-run home run. Blanchard doubled. Miller and Wilkinson added support with a single apiece.

ICC was led at the plate by Brianna Posey and Hannah Henry with a pair of hits apiece. Patterson doubled and Rutledge singled.

Next up:  The Lady Wolves travel to Decatur to take on the East Central Lady Warriors on Wednesday, March 24 at 3 p.m.