CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team split a Gulf South Conference doubleheader with Union University on Monday afternoon. The Choctaws (8-12, 2-9 GSC) claimed the opening contest 7-1 before falling 11-6 in the finale.
 
Caleb Upton led the offensive charge for the Navy and Gold going 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. The senior backstop collected his first home run of the season in the win over the Bulldogs (13-6, 7-4 GSC). The homer, one of three hit on the day and the second in the game, gave MC a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth.
 
The Choctaws dealt Union a final blow in the eighth as Will Elliott hit the second home run of the game with a three-run shot that scored Chance Whitten and Colton Caver. Whitten drove in the first run of the frame with a one-out, RBI single that plated Austin Warkentin, who led off the inning with a single – his second hit of the day joining Upton with multiple hit efforts.
 
Union added it's only run of the contest in the bottom of the inning.
 
Jake Fraze (4-1) claimed the win on the mound tying his season-long outing with 7.2 innings of work. The sophomore hurler struck out three and walked four with a run allowed on six hits. Samuel Harrison closed the door on the Bulldogs with 1.1 innings as he struck out two while not surrendering a hit.
 
In the second contest, Blaine Crim gave the Choctaws their only lead in the game, 3-2, with a RBI single in third to score Logan Ferrell. However, Union answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame. MC attempted to rally in the top of the fourth – clipping the deficit to a run with a three-run inning.
 
Elliott started the scoring in the fourth with a solo home run – his third of the season – and two batters later Upton delivered a two-run, single up the middle to score Ferrell, who reached on an error, and Hunter Bolin, who singled. Upton and Crim tallied multi-hit performances in the setback.
 
The Bulldogs responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead and never looked back.
 
Matt Payne (0-2) received the loss on the hill going 2.0 innings with three strikeouts, six runs – three earned – on three hits. The junior pitcher was one of five hurlers to toe the rubber in the contest for MC as Harrison, Perry Turner, Tim Holloway and Tyler Scholl combined for the final five innings of work with five runs allowed on eight hits with just one strikeout.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Mar. 19 as it hosts Christian Brothers in a three-game, GSC series. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 2 p.m.