Box Score
CLINTON, MS - The Mississippi College baseball team advanced to the American Southwest Tournament Championship Round for the second straight year with a 14-4 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday afternoon at Frierson Field. The Choctaws (28-14) used an eight-run second inning to eliminate The Cru (22-17) from the tournament.
The four-team double-elimination tournament will be held at Frierson Field beginning on Friday. The official game times are still to be determined.
The Choctaws took advantage of being the visitors on the scoreboard by putting up three runs in the top of the first inning to set the tone. Junior
Bo Bell single in two runs in the inning, while senior
Tim Bruss drove in the other run on double down the left field line.
Bell finished the game 3-4 with four RBI and three runs scored. The Gulfport, MS native has driven in 67 runs on the season, the second highest total in school history.
After getting the Cru out without a problem in the bottom of the inning, the Choctaws sent 12 hitters to the plate, collecting eight hits and scoring eight runs in the frame.
Bell drove in two more runs with a single, but junior
Dakota Bodree punctuated the inning with a two-run home run down the left field line, his second of the season. Bodree went 3-4 with three runs scored and two RBI in the game.
After neither team could break through for three innings, the Choctaws extended the lead to 12-0 in the sixth inning on an RBi fielder's choice by sophomore
Clay Crosswhite that scored Bell.
The Cru finally got on the board in the sixth inning with four runs, highlighted by a two-run single by Seth Lynn.
The Choctaws got two of those runs back in the top of the seventh inning on a two-run home run by Friday's hero
Chase Herrin.
Senior
Josh Denson came in the bottom of the seventh, setting downt the Cru in order to clinch the victory.
Senior
Brett Hinson (9-2) pitched six strong innings, allowing eight hits and four earned runs.
R.B. Garza took the loss for UMHB, giving up 11 hits and 10 earned runs in only 1.2 innings.
The Choctaws will host the ASC Tournament Championship Round next weekend beginning on Friday. MC will open the tournament against the winner of the series between Hardin-Simmons and UT-Dallas.