CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team claimed a Gulf South Conference series with a 5-4 win in the nightcap of a twinbill with Christian Brothers. MC (10-13, 4-10 GSC) fell 6-4 in the opening contest of the doubleheader. CBU moved to 7-19 and 1-14 in conference play.
Austin Warkentin logged the lone multiple hit effort of the day going 2-for-4 in the first contest and finishing with three hits on the afternoon.
Hunter Hall and
Colton Caver each recorded a pair of hits during the two contests
Tyler Scholl (2-0) recorded his second win of the season as the hurler tossed a third of an inning in relief with a walk and no hits allowed.
MC placed two runners aboard in the second contest, tied at 4-all with two outs.
Blaine Crim placed a tapper in front of CBU pitcher Gil Erwin. The CBU hurler, who was making his third appearance of the weekend, tossed the ball into the back of the Mobile, Ala., native ricocheting and allowing the game-winning run
Will Elliott to score from second base.
Elliott reached base via a fielder's choice and stole second prior to a
Logan Ferrell walk.
Ferrell logged the first Choctaw run of the contest in the bottom of the third with a RBI single to right field scoring Hall. The Navy and Gold added two runs in the bottom of the fourth, answering the Bucs' two runs in the top half of the frame, as Caver doubled to score
Garrett Odom and Austin followed with a single pushing Caver across the dish.
Crim extended the lead to 4-2 with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Elliott in the bottom of the fifth. CBU responded with two runs in the top of the sixth as a passed ball and wild pitch assisted in tying the score at 4-all.
In the opener, CBU used five runs in the first four innings to take a 5-0 lead through five. MC got on the board in the bottom of the sixth as Ferrell lifted a sac fly into right field scoring Hall. The Choctaws thenn nipped the deficit to a run in the home half of the seventh using two Bucs' errors and a Caver two-run, double.
However, Christian Brothers extended its lead as Mickey Smith was hit in the back, with the bases loaded, to push Lucas Castleberry across the plate. MC attempted to respond in the bottom of the inning as
Caleb Upton and Warkentin reached, but CBU fanned the next two batters and got a fly out short stop to sniff out the threat.
Samuel Harrison (1-2) took the loss on the mound as the freshman tossed 5.0 frames allowing five runs – two earned - on 10 hits with a strikeout and three walks.
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Mar. 22 as it hosts William Carey. First pitch is slotted for 6 p.m.
