CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team opened its weekend series with Auburn University at Montgomery with a 3-2 victory to extend its win streak to five straight games – the longest currently in the Gulf South Conference. MC (13-15, 10-13 GSC) held off a late rally from the Warhawks (15-15, 13-15 GSC) to claim the opening game of the series.
Caleb Reese logged two of the Choctaws' eight hits in the contest, including a solo home run, for the lone multiple-hit performance of the contest.
Dakota Kennedy,
Dylan Duplechain,
Ken Scott,
George Farid,
Logan McGrew and
Casey Page compiled a hit apiece while Scott, Reese and Farid drove in the three runs.
Payton Russell (3-3) took the win on the bump for his third of the season. Russell pitched a gem as he allowed just one run on four hits in 7.1 innings of work. He also fanned three and gave up just one walk in 28 batters faced.
Dylan Marsh (2) garnered his second save in as many outings as he tossed was called one for the final out of the game.
Mississippi College and Auburn-Montgomery close out the three-game series on Sunday, April 17 with a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m.
GAME 1: Mississippi College 3 | Auburn-Montgomery 2
DATE: Saturday, April 17, 2021
LOCATION: Frierson Field
RECORDS: Choctaws 13-15, 10-13 GSC | Warhawks 15-15, 13-15 GSC
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After AUM scored in its first trip to the plate, the Choctaws answered in the top of the second as Reese logged his eighth home run of the season with a solo shot to left field to leadoff of the frame.
- The score stayed deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth as Duplechain scored on a Farid single through the right side. Duplechain started the inning off with a double down the left field line following a diving catch to rob AUM of the go-ahead run as Pritchett stood on second base.
- MC added an insurance run in the eighth as Scott hit his seventh home run of the season – a solo homer – to left field to expand the lead to 3-1.
- The Warhawks attempted a rally in the bottom of the ninth as three straight singles loaded the bases for the visitors. Following a strikeout for the first out of the inning, a Sage Smelley single plated Pritchett to draw the Black and Orange to within a run.
Jackson Smith assisted on the second out of the inning on a tapper back to him on the mound and erased Zach Feaster at the plate on a toss to McGrew. Smith was lifted for Marsh, who stepped on the rubber with the bases loaded, two outs and struck out the Warhawks top of the order, Arrington, on struck him out swinging on four pitches.
ON THE MOUND
- Smith tossed 1.1 frames in the relief appearance. He allowed just one run on four hits with two strikeouts in eight batters faced.
- AUM starter Troy Jones (3-3) tossed all eight innings and fanned six along with one walk and the eight hits surrendered.
INSIDE THE BOX
- Mississippi College is 3-1 all-time in the series against AUM. The win is the first in Clinton for the Choctaws in the series.
- The five-game win streak is the longest since the Choctaws rattled off nine consecutive during a span that stretched from March 29, 2019 until April 12, 2019.
- The outing marked a career long for Russell. His previous best was seven innings set earlier this season against Miles College.
- With his team-leading, eight home runs on the season, Reese moves to third among NCAA programs in the Magnolia State. Mississippi's Tim Elko and Delta State's Jake Barlow each have a state-best nine this season. The home run is also the 11th of his career.
- Scott moves into fourth in the State of Mississippi in home runs as he joins teammate
Dylan Duplechain with seven apiece. The Choctaw duo are among other Division I program home run hitters from Mississippi State, Southern Miss, and Jackson State. The home run is the 10th of her his career in Clinton.
