PENSACOLA, Fla. --- The Mississippi College baseball team fell 11-3 in the series finale at the nationally-ranked University of West Florida. No. 17/19 UWF improved to 7-4 while MC fell to 1-10 on the season.
 
TURNING POINT

• West Florida used a five-run, eighth inning to capture the contest. Ladeavon Matthews headlined the frame with a two-run, single up the middle to score Robert Lopez and Nick Kerkmann.

 
KEY STATS

• Casey Echols provided all three Choctaw runs in the contest. Echols went 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and added a run scored.
• Grant Barber joined Echols with a multiple hit effort. Barber went 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Zack Ingram (0-2) took the loss on the mound. Ingram tossed 4.1 innings in the start with four runs allowed on six hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts.
• Brandon Harmon and Matthews recorded multi-hit performances to lead UWF as they each logged two hits.
• Walker O'Connor (1-0) claimed the win on the mound with 3.2, scoreless innings of relief as he struck out five and allowed just one hit along with a walk.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• MC logged all of its runs in the first inning as Echols delivered his first home run of the season as he drove in Blaine Crim and Barber. Crim reached on an error after Baber singled.
• After plating a run in the bottom of the first, West Florida pulled within a run in the fourth with on a Harmon RBI single to center field.
• The Argos used a Nic Strasser sacrifice fly to knot the contest at 3-all and grabbed their first lead of the game when Matt Sullivan fouled out, but Robert Lopez scored on the tag in the fifth.
• The Argos doubled up the Navy and Gold with a pair of runs in the seventh before placing the game out of reach in the eighth.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Six hurlers took to the bump for MC in the setback. Ingram drew most of the time on the hill in the start. Shelby Craddock, Tim Holloway, Hunter Mullis, Matt Payne and Perry Turner combined for 3.2 frames of action with six hits allowed and seven runs surrendered.
• The Choctaws got to UWF starter Jared Middleton as he surrendered three runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings of action.

 
NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 22 as it hosts the University of Arkansas at Monticello. First pitch against the 31st-ranked Boll Weevils is set for 3 p.m.