CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team picked up their first win of the 2017 season, splitting a double header versus Florida Tech on Saturday, February 4. MC dropped the first contest 11-2 and won game number two, 9-4. The Choctaw's record now sits at 1-3 for the season.
GAME ONE
TURNING POINT
- Ryan Gronberg drove in the first run of the game for either team in the fourth inning, when he reached on a fielder's choice. Gronberg's RBI was set up by back-to-back singles by Dan Szpik and Ryan Sinzenich. Szpik advanced all the way to third on the single by Sinzenich, setting up the RBI opportunity. The Panthers would hold their lead for the rest of the game
KEY STATS/NOTES
- Grant Barber collected a team-high two hits for the Choctaws, with a walk and a run scored
- Hunter Austin picked up MC's lone RBI in the game, going 1-4 in the contest
- Ryan Lane tossed three scoreless innings for the Choctaws, striking out seven and walking only one
- Benton Garrison (0-1) took the loss on the mound for MC. The freshman reliever surrendered five earned runs on five hits over two innings of work.
- Stephen Atkins and Perry Turner combined two go the next four frames, tossing two apiece. The duo surrendered five earned runs, with both striking out a batter in their outing.
- David Wilson had the hot bat for FIT, Driving in a team-high four runs in the contest, while going 2-5 at the dish.
- Tyler Deel (1-0) picked up the win for FIT. The senior righty threw seven scoreless frames for the Panthers, while striking out seven and allowing only one hit.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Panthers picked up two runs in the fourth inning, as a result of Gronberg's fielder's choice, and Nick Capra's groundout to second.
- FIT added four more to their fun total in the fifth inning. Reid Neal started off the scoring with an RBI single to right that plated John Sternagel, who reached base via walk and then stole second. Spzik drove in Neal later in the inning with an RBI single to left, followed up by a 2-RBI knock from Gronberg.
- FIT would add another run in the seventh inning, when Wilson plated Gronberg with a single to left on the first pitch of the at-bat
- The Panthers added four more runs of insurance in the ninth, when Capra drove in Sinzenich with a single to right field. Wilson delivered the big blow later in the inning, when he took a 1-0 pitch from Turner and knocked it over the left field wall for a three-run homer.
- The Choctaws would avoid being shutout in the ninth, as they picked up two runs via a Will Elliot Sacrifice Fly, and a wild pitch that plated Barber.
Game 2
TURNING POINT
- Freshman SS Dylan Duplechain was hit by pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, giving way to the first run of the ballgame for either team. The Choctaws would go on to score seven runs in the inning, creating a comfortable lead that MC would not relinquish for the rest of the game.
KEY STATS/NOTES
- Elliot led the way offensively for MC in game two, going 3-4 at the dish. He and Barber both drove in a pair of runs in the game.
- Chance Whitten and Gunner Osborne both picked up a pair of base hits in their first starts of the season.
- Hunter Wilson and Elliot both contributed for two runs apiece.
- The Choctaws were 5-12 (0.416) at the plate with runners in scoring position during the contest, and 6-18 (0.333) with runners on base.
- Junior Jake Fraze, (1-0) notched his first win of the season for MC. The crafty lefty allowed just two runs in seven innings of work, while striking out eight.
- Shelby Craddock tossed the final two frames for MC, surrendering two runs and striking out a pair.
- Prior to game number two, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the new front entrance, where the families of John W. Dickins and Dell Dickins Scoper were honored with the naming of stadium to Dickins-Scoper Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- MC's fourth-inning scoring frenzy was started by a H. Austin double down the left field line. Senior 1st baseman Austin Warkentin would follow up by reaching base via an error. Osborne followed up Dupechain's RBI hit-by-pitch with a single that plated Wilson. Elliot and Barber would drive in the next three runs with singles, while wild pitches from FIT pitcher Luke Lorah allowed the final two runs of the inning to score.
- FIT cracked the scoreboard in the sixth, when catcher Zac Orchard drove in two with a single to right center.
- MC answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, however, when Barber drove in Elliot with a single to right field.
- The Choctaws grabbed one more insurance run in the seventh, when H. Wilson scored on a wild pitch.
- FIT plated two runs on a double to right center by SS John Sternagel, giving way to the final score.
UP NEXT
- The Choctaws will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 11, when they host Lindenwood University for a double header. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.
