It’s on to the 4A North State Playoffs for the Indianola Academy Colonels baseball team.
The Colonels earned their berth into postseason play this past Tuesday after sweeping a District 1-4A doubleheader from visiting Lee Academy of Clarksdale.
The Colonels improved their record to an 8-16, 4-7 mark with their clutch 5-4 and 11-1 victories over the Colts.
The sweep of the Colts has earned the Colonels the number four seed in District 1-4A.
As for next week’s 4A North State Playoffs, the Colonels will travel to either Winona Christian School or Carroll Academy.
Those two schools are also playing this week to see who will serve as the host team for next week’s playoff action.
It is expected the playing days will be Tuesday and Thursday while opponents and game times are to be announced.
However, the Colonels had one last District 1-4A game to play this past Thursday night when they traveled to Lee Academy.
The results of this final game of their series with the Colts were unavailable at press time.
In this past Tuesday’s doubleheader sweep of Lee Academy, the Colonels began their day’s play by erupting for all their runs in the first inning; and it was enough to earn their 5-4 victory over the Colts.
Blayne Fleming’s three hits, which included a double, paced IA’s four-hit attack.
Graham Howard accounted for the Colonels’ other hit by drilling a two-RBI double.
Ty Killebrew picked up the win on the mound as his five innings of work yielded but four hits while striking out four batters and walking nine.
Fleming closed out the final two outs of the game by striking out two batters and giving up one hit.
In the twin bill nightcap, the Colonels scored all their runs in the first three innings of the game to put the contest to rest.
Patrick Davis led the IA nine-hit attack with three singles while Howard added a pair of singles.
Davis also earned the win on the mound as he gave up only two hits while striking out four Lee Academy batters.
In last Thursday’s huge home-field district win over Marshall Academy, the Colonels overcame a 2-0 deficit after one inning of play to claim the game.
Plating one run in the second frame, the Colonels crossed the plate four more times in the third inning.
Two of those game-clinching runs were driven home by pitcher Easton Lloyd, who helped his own cause on the mound with a clutch RBI double.
Meanwhile, IA received a stellar performance from Lloyd who picked up the win on the mound.
The senior righthander received solid defensive support as his 6.2 innings of work scattered nine Marshall Academy hits while striking out two and walking two.
Davis then came to the mound in the seventh inning to coerce the final out of the game, which brought an end to a Patriots two-run rally.
Leading IA’s seven-hit offensive attack was Cole Sepulvado, who completed the game having slapped a double and a single off the Patriots’ pitching staff.
Also contributing a pair of singles was Graham Howard while Lloyd drilled his clutch two-RBI double.
