Booneville, Miss. – Marla Rudd does not recall the full events of the last defensive play on Thursday for Northeast Mississippi Community College, but her hustle sparked a strong comeback effort by the Tigers.
Rudd stretched out and made a remarkable catch in foul territory to halt a major Itawamba Community College threat, but the Indians staved off the come-from-behind attempt and won 8-7 to complete the sweep after a 6-1 game one win.
"Before the ball was even hit, I said, 'God, if the ball is hit to me please let me make a diving play,'" said Rudd, a South Panola High School product. "I don't remember anything that happened. I just remember hitting the ground and seeing the ball in my glove."
Itawamba loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning after an Autumn Bonner double and two walks, but Rudd's leaping snag on a Haley Moore line drive stopped the threat and shifted the momentum to Northeast's dugout.
Trenisha King transitioned the newfound energy into a solo home run that landed beyond the left field fence on the hill next to Third Street. The initial long ball of King's collegiate career cut the Tigers' deficit to 8-6.
"When I got in the box, before the first pitch I said, 'This is me. I'm taking it,'" said King. "I did everything my coaches ever taught me and it went over the fence. I was extremely excited for pushing myself."
Haleigh Moffett followed her with a double off the mitt of an extended Laken Shankle in the left-centerfield gap. Becky Robinson, who was pinch running for Moffett, scored moments later on an infield single by Bre Agnew to make it a one-run contest.
Mirah Terry, who entered the matchup for Agnew, made it to third base after a wild pitch and steal. But Indian pitcher Cara Hopper got the final out on a popup that went off third baseman Kory Watterson's glove and into the hands of Moore at shortstop.
Itawamba (9-6, 2-0) extended its advantage to as high as 7-1 in the fourth with a Catherine Carver RBI double.
The Tigers, though, got a big play to end that frame. Pitcher Bianca Chagolla started a double play that ended with a beautiful block of home plate by catcher Haley Christian that stopped Carver from scoring.
Whittney Gee got the Northeast offense into motion with a double into the gap that brought Agnew and Christian home.
Gee then touched the plate on a wild pitch before Yasmeen Cooper came around the bases on a King double that made it a 7-5 contest in favor of the Indians.
Itawamba scored what turned out to be the decisive run in the sixth on a Watterson single that was preceded by a Northeast error.
The Indians plated the initial six runs of the matchup, three on a home run by Watterson in the opening frame, to seemingly take a comfortable lead before Northeast's turnaround in the latter innings.
"I challenged our team after the first game," said ninth-year Northeast headman Jody Long. "I told them that at this level you can't get down on yourselves and each other. We're going to have to scratch for everything and that's the mentality that we have to take on.
"I think they responded well. We had them on the ropes and we just didn't end up with the outcome that we wanted to."
Gee got the Tigers (5-10, 2-2) on the scoreboard in the third when her fielder's choice brought in Agnew.
King paced the Tigers on offense with a 3 for 3 outing with two RBIs and a run scored. Christian and Agnew also had multiple hits.
Chagolla (2-5) went 6.1 innings with just four earned runs allowed and two strikeouts in the loss. Hopper (1-0) claimed the victory for Itawamba with 3.2 frames of relief work.
Northeast could not figure out Indians starter Hannah Johnson in the lid lifter until it was too late. Johnson (5-2) scattered three hits and three strikeouts in the complete game victory.
King brought in the lone run for the Tigers on a RBI single in the sixth inning that scored Chagolla.
Itawamba quickly jumped ahead 2-0 after a run scoring triple by Carver and a Watterson sacrifice fly.
Ashley Langford followed Bonner's RBI double in the fourth with a two-run home run that gave the Indians a 5-0 advantage.
Starter Chelsea Buntin (3-4) gave up five hits and struck out three for Northeast. Avery Springer and King did a great job out of the bullpen with just one run allowed over the final three frames.
King, a Tuscumbia, Ala., native, had a pair of base knocks in the opener and was a combined 5 for 6 against Itawamba pitching.
The Tigers continue a stretch of nine games in four days on Friday (March 7) in the 2014 Cardinal Spring Fling. Northeast plays Snead State (Ala.) Community College at 1 p.m. and host Gadsden State (Ala.) Community College at 3 p.m. on the first day of competition.