CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team rallied from four runs down in the second game of the Saturday doubleheader to complete a three-game, Gulf South Conference series sweep over the University of West Alabama to open conference play. MC (6-3, 3-0 GSC) claimed the opening contest 6-2 before ending the evening in victory, 6-5.
 
Seven Choctaws posted multiple hit efforts on the day as Markarius Lee and Chauncey Callier led the way. Callier paced the squad going 5-for-6 at the dish, including a pair of home runs in the opener, with three RBI and three runs scored.
 
Lee went 4-for-9 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored, including a three-RBI double in the night cap to tie the contest.
 
Bryce Lewis and Austin Chastang snagged their first wins of the season on the mound in relief efforts as Tommy Taborda notched his first save of the season in the night cap. Lewis pitched a spotless three innings in the opener as he collected three strikeouts out of the bullpen. Chastang tossed 1.2 frames with a strikeout. Taborda fanned one in his one inning of action.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 18 as it hits the road for the first time this season against the University of Arkansas at Monticello. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. 
 

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GAME 2: Mississippi College 6 | West Alabama 2
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020
LOCATION: Clinton, Miss. | Frierson Field
RECORDS: Choctaws 5-3, 2-0 GSC | Tigers 5-4, 0-2 GSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After scoring the first run of the game in the second inning, MC found itself trailing 2-1 through five and half innings in the opening game of the twinbill, but the Choctaws tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a Ken Scott RBI single.
- Caleb Reese and Callier placed the Choctaws up for good in the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back solo home runs. Callier then added his second home run of the game in the bottom of the eight with a two-run shot that plated Reese.
 
ON THE MOUND
- Zack Ingram tossed five frames in the start and allowed just two runs on five hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts.
- Chastang pitched the final inning as he struck out one along with a hit in the relief effort.
 

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GAME 3: Mississippi College 6 | West Alabama 5
DATE: Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020
LOCATION: Clinton, Miss. | Frierson Field
RECORDS: Choctaws 6-3, 3-0 GSC | Tigers 5-5, 0-3 GSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- MC trailed 5-1 through the first five innings of the seven-inning, second contest with the lone run coming off the bat of Grant Barber, who singled in third to score Lee.
- The Choctaws rallied and took their first lead of the contest in the bottom of the sixth. Casey Page got the scoring started as he collected a RBI drawing a bases loaded walk to clip the deficit to 5-2. Lee followed with a base-clearing double to right center to knot the contest at 5-all as Page, CJ Berry and Callier all came in to score. Barber delivered the final blow with a single to center field that plated Lee.
- Taborda entered in the top of the seventh and after forcing the first Tiger to ground out, the senior hurler struck out Brandon Lyman and forced pinch-hitter Gavin Rogers to dribble the ball down the first base line for the final out.
 
ON THE MOUND
- Luke Files struck out six and allowed three runs – two earned – on four hits in a four-inning start.
- Hayden Harrell tossed a third of an inning with two runs allowed on three hits with a strikeout.
- Chastang fanned one and walked one in 1.2 frames in relief.
 

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INSIDE THE BOX
- It's the first three, GSC series sweep since April 5-6 at Christian Brothers University last season.
- With the save, Taborda moves into a tie for third in career saves with former teammate Ryan Lane with 10. The program record stands at 13 with Dereck Tillman (2003-04).
- The Choctaws have two games this season with three home runs. The first came on Feb. 8 against Young Harris College.
- Mississippi College has won eight of the last nine in the series against the Tigers.