Continuing to dodge the rain, the Indianola Academy Colonels baseball team was able to open their new season Monday night by splitting a double header.
In this twin-bill played at Kirk Academy in Grenada, the Colonels rebounded from a 6-5 first game loss with a 12-6 weather shortened victory over the Raiders in the nightcap.
As for upcoming action, the Colonels have a busy schedule of 6 p.m. games which begin this Friday with a trip to Manchester Academy in Yazoo City.
This first of three non-district contests will then be followed by a scheduled pair of home dates beginning next Monday. On that day Deer Creek School of Arcola visits the IA field and 24 hours later, Winston Academy of Louisville makes the trip to Indianola to take on the Colonels.
In this past Monday night’s victory over Kirk Academy, the Colonels struck quickly.
The game began with three IA hitters rifling the game’s first three pitches delivered by the Raiders’ pitcher into left center field for singles.
Contributing to this unusual episode of offense were Leland Selby, Thomas Putnam and Spencer Roberson.
However, it would only take two more pitches for James Hill to send yet another single to left center field, a blow which drove Selby and Putnam across the plate.
By inning’s end, the Colonels owned a 4-1 lead and the scoring continued as they progressed on to their victory.
Earning the win on the mound in relief of Roberson was Putnam; the senior was charged with two runs on one hit while striking out three, walking two, and hitting two batters.
Roberson’s stint on the mound yielded one hit while fanning six and walking six hitters.
In the opening game, Hill’s three inning effort on the mound was the longest of any IA pitcher during the two-game span.
His opening day work yielded two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and three base on balls.
Leading the Colonels’ hitting attack during this two-game night of play was Hill with four singles while Roberson clubbed a triple and a pair of singles.
Also drilling a double and two singles was Selby, an effort which added to the three singles produced by Putnam’s bat.
Rounding out the hitting leaders for IA was Reeves Polasini, who added a single to the RBI double earned during his second game efforts.
