CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team split a twinbill on Saturday, Feb. 5 with 31st-ranked North Greenville University. The Choctaws (1-2) took the opening game of the day, 6-2, before NGU (2-1) rallied in the second contest to win, 9-8, in extra innings.
 
Markarius Lee led MC at the dish as he collected three hits during the doubleheader, including a pair in the second game of the day. The Southaven, Miss., native was one of three Choctaws to garner multiple hits in the game as Lane Willis and Cody Crifasi each had two hits. Ken Scott logged the only multi-hit performance in the opener with a pair of extra-base knocks.
 
MC plated a pair of runs in the second inning of the first game as Derrek Lathon, Jr., recorded a RBI-single. Scott pushed Lathon across the dish later in the inning with a RBI-double to right center. Caleb Reese extended the lead with a solo home run in the fifth before NGU scored the first of its two runs in the top of the sixth.
 
Scott expanded the margin to 6-1 in the bottom half of the sixth with a three-run home run that scored Crifasi and Joh Rice.
 
The Crusaders added their final run in the top of the eight to cap the scoring in the contest.
 
Jackson Bridges (1-0) claimed the win on the mound as he sat down seven in 5.1 innings and allowed just one run on a pair of hits.
 
Matthew Taubensee (0-1) took the loss with four innings of work while he allowed two runs on three hits, but struck out six.
 
MC held a 7-3 lead after five innings in the nightcap, but witnessed the Crusaders outscore it 6-0 in the final three frames. The Navy and Gold took a 7-1 lead after four frames, including a five spot in the fourth. The Choctaws recorded three, RBI-doubles from Kolby McWilliams, Tristan Tigrett and Crifasi during the inning.
 
NGU added a pair in the top of the fifth, but MC responded with a run of its own in the home half as Tigrett scored on a ground out to cap the scoring on the night for the Choctaws. The Red and Black plated four runs in the sixth and tied the game at eight-all in the top of the seventh as Jordan Holladay yanked a solo home run to left field.
 
Ethan Stringer put the Crusaders on top for the first time on the day in the top of the eighth with a RBI-hit that scored Cory Bivins.
 
Tristen Hudson (1-0) entered the game on the mound for NGU and tossed three, hitless innings with five strikeouts to garner the win.
 
David Dunn (0-1) received the loss as he allowed one run on one hits with one strikeout in the final frame.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Feb. 8 as it travels to Russellville, Ark., to face Arkansas Tech University. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
 
 
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