CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team returns to Gulf South Conference as it travels to Jackson, Tenn., to face 24th-ranked Union University. The series opens with a single game on Sunday, Mar. 12 at 2 p.m. and closes on Monday, Mar. 13 with a doubleheader slated for a 1 p.m. start.
 
THE SERIES
Mississippi College travels to Union for the first time in series history on Sunday. The previous five meetings were played in Clinton, Miss. Last year's scheduled GSC series was slated for the Union campus, but weather forced the games to Clinton. Union leads the series 3-2 with the two teams splitting a doubleheader last season.

GAME COVERAGE
Stats | Audio | Video
 
CHOCTAW NOTES
Union marks the fourth nationally ranked team on the Choctaws' slate this season. The Bulldogs rank 24th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Poll and is receiving votes in the National Collegiate Bases Writers Association Poll. West Florida, Arkansas-Monticello and West Alabama were the previously ranked programs.
 
The Navy and Gold look to snap a seven-game slide after being swept by Shorter University last weekend. Austin Warkentin hit .600 for the week (6-for-10), including three hits in the first game against Shorter. The Calgary, Alberta, native logged a hit in all four outings during the week and logged three RBI. He connected on his first home run of the season in the opener against Shorter. He also added three walks in the four-game stretch.
 
MC recorded season-highs in a 15-13 setback to Shorter. The Choctaws logged 15 hits, including a season-best four doubles, and totaled 11 RBI against the Blue and White. The 13 runs also marked a season-high.
 
Casey Echols continues to lead the Choctaws at the plate this season. The Braxton, Miss., native is batting .404 on the campaign, which ranks seventh in the GSC, with a team-best 21 hits, including four doubles - the second most on the team.
 
Chance Whitten paces the Navy and Gold in RBI with 14. The Batesville, Miss., product has also logged a team-best four home runs. The four homers have driven in nine of the 14 RBI.
 
Tommy Taborda leads the team with 24 strikeouts on the mound in 24.2 innings of action - the second most on the team. The Pompano Beach, Fla., native. Jake Fraze has tossed a team-leading 25.0 frames this campaign. The Plano, Texas, native is third on the team in strikeouts with 15. Tim Holloway ranks second on the team with 18 punch-outs.
 
BULLDOG NOTES
Union enters the weekend slate sporting a 17-3 record and a GSC-best 7-2 mark. The Bulldogs claimed a 6-5 win at Henderson State on Tuesday after it dropped a GSC series at then-20th-ranked Delta State. UU leads the conference with 25 home runs and is hitting .319 on the season – also tops in the GSC. The Bulldogs pitching staff has totaled a 4.43 ERA – fifth in the conference.
 
Nolen Milton leads Union at the plate with a .402 batting average – 10th in the league – while he touts a GSC-leading 28 RBI and 25 runs scored. On the mound, Austin Kitterman ranked fourth in ERA with a 1.99 while Teddy Christie has 28 strikeouts, including 13 batters fanned looking.