Nineteen strikeouts of opposing batters is a near-guarantee of a baseball game victory.
Such was the case Monday night in Batesville when Indianola Academy pitcher Josh Hill sent that many North Delta School batters trudging back to their dugout without hitting the baseball.
This pitching performance was instrumental in helping the now 9-3-1, 4-0 Colonels earn their latest 3-0 District 1AAA win.
With that decision now in the books, on Wednesday night the Colonels made the attempt to sweep the three-game series from the Green Wave.
Hosting a double header, the results of those games were unavailable at press-time.
Other upcoming action has the IA squad visiting Pillow Academy in Greenwood this Friday for a 6 p.m. non-district clash.
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated district series with Bayou Academy of Cleveland begins next Monday evening. The talented Colts will visit the IA field at 6 p.m. to open this critical three-game series.
In other non-district action which occurred this past Saturday, the Colonels also swept a home-field double header by defeating Winston Academy of Louisville by a 16-6 margin and Pillow Academy by a 7-3 score.
In Monday night’s win over North Delta School, Hill would turn in his excellent 6 2/3 innings of work which gave up only four singles while issuing only one base on balls.
Will Davis earned the save on the mound as he faced only one batter and coerced a game-ending ground ball.
At the plate, the Colonels would score their three runs on four hits as a Logan White double paced the singles earned by Will Davis, Reed Junkin, and Thomas Putnam.
In last Saturday’s double header, the IA bats came alive as they would accumulate 27 hits against opposing pitchers.
With the day’s play ending with their five inning win over Winston Academy, a 10-6 IA lead was greatly expanded in that final inning of the contest.
Drilling five consecutive one-out hits which began with a Josh Hill double, the Colonels benefited from a three-run homer by Putnam; a blow which was followed one pitch later by a solo shot off Spencer Roberson’s bat.
The Colonels sprayed 15 hits around the field in this contest and seven players recorded at least one RBI against the Winston Academy pitching staff.
Leading the hitting parade in this game was Putnam (4 RBIs) and Roberson (2 RBIs) with a home run and a single apiece.
Also driving three runs across the plate was Davis with his pair of singles while Josh Hill and White drilled a double and single apiece. Junkin and Wesley Lester added two singles apiece to round out the hitting leaders in this game.
On the mound, Putnam picked up the win as his four innings of work yielded five hits while striking out three and walking five batters.
Earning his second save of the afternoon was Walker Zepponi with one hit allowed and one strikeout recorded.
In their twinbill opener against Pillow Academy, the Colonels used a five run sixth inning to distance themselves from the Mustangs.
Back-to-back RBI doubles by Davis and Hill began this uprising as the Colonels moved on to claim the game.
On the mound, James Hill claimed the win as his six inning performance scattered seven hits while fanning four batters and walking three more.
At the plate, Davis led the attack as the senior just missed hitting the cycle after hammering a triple, double, and single in the contest.
In addition to Josh Hill’s RBI double, White and Roberson added a double and a single while Putnam produced a pair of singles.
In their only loss suffered this past week against visiting Washington School of Greenville, the Colonels dug themselves into a 9-0 hole after two innings of play before dropping a 14-8 decision to the Generals.
Leading IA’s 12 hit attack was Josh Hill with a double and a single while Lester added a triple to right center field.
Also contributing a pair of singles apiece to the IA offense were James Hill and Woods Toler.
