CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team dropped its Gulf South Conference doubleheader to the University of Montevallo on Saturday, April 15 at Frierson Field, Dickins-Scoper Stadium. The Falcons evened the series at a game each with a 16-4 victory in the first game of the day and used a double play to end the Choctaws' threat in the night cap, 7-5.
 
MC held a 3-2 lead after three innings in the first second game of the day as it plated a pair of runs on back-to-back sacrifice flies from Markarius Lee and CJ Berry. Lane Willis started the third frame with a solo home run – his first of the season.
 
After UM tied the contest in the top of the fourth, Lance Wade regained the lead for the Navy and Gold with a RBI-single that scored Derrek Lathon, Jr. However, the Falcons regained the advantage in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs and then expanded its margin in the top of the seventh behind a three-run Reed Latimer home run to swell the lead to 7-4.
 
The Choctaws attempted a rally in the bottom of the seventh as Caleb Reese led the inning off with a solo home run. It marked the sixth of the season for the Bossier City, La., native and his 20th career, which lands him in the program's all-time home run list.
 
Berry followed with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but erased from the base path trying to advance to third on a second wild pitch that sent Lee to first on a walk. One batter later a line drive, double play ended the contest.
 
Jackson Smith (0-2) was tagged with the loss as he pitched one inning in relief and allowed two runs on three hits.
 
Reese led the team with three hits while Wade joined him in the multiple-hit category as he collected a pair in the contest.
 
In the opening game of the day, MC used a four-run, first at-bat to hold a one-run lead after one frame, but the Falcons responded with two runs in the top of the second to regain the lead and then poured on seven more over the next two innings to take a 12-4 lead. The Purple and Gold landed its final blow in the top of the seventh as Latimer connected on a grand slam.
 
Wade headlined the scoring for the Choctaws with a two-run home run – his third of the season.
 
Joseph Cuomo (2-7) took the loss on the bump with eight runs allowed – six earned – on seven hits. He struck out two in the start.
 
MC picked up multi-hit efforts from Lane Willis, Reese and Berry in the setback as the trio collected two hits each.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, April 19 as it travels to eighth-ranked Southern Arkansas University. First pitch is 3 p.m. in Magnolia, Ark.
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