CLINTON, Miss. --- Bridley Thomas hit for the cycle as the Mississippi College baseball run-ruled Henderson State University, 18-8, on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Dickins-Scoper Stadium, Frierson Field.
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Six players recorded multiple hits in the contest led by Thomas' four knocks as the Choctaw (2-6) notched 17 in the game, including five home runs. The Brandon, Miss., native singled to lead the game off in the first, posted a RBI-triple to the third, followed by a solo home run in the fourth and capped his day with a double in the sixth frame. He is the first player to accomplish the feat in the conference since Delta State University's Jake Barlow on Feb. 24, 2019 and just the eighth in conference history.
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Jordan Rollins and
Alex McWhorter each logged three hits in the affair as Rollins belted two home runs.
Caleb Reese,
Rhett Birdsong and
JT Vance each added a pair as Reese and Birdsong also launched home runs. Birdsong and Rollins paced the squad with four RBI each. Reese joined the multi-RBI performances with three followed by two Thomas and
Bryce LaRocca.
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The Blue and Gold jumped all over the scoreboard as it batted around in the first frame and tallied seven runs headlined by a three-run home run from Reese and capped by a grand slam from Birdsong. The Reddies (5-3) answered with a grand slam of their own in the top of the second, but a second crooked number frame from the Choctaw posted the score at 10-4.
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After HSU plated two in the third, the Choctaw answered with their second three-run frame to push the margin to 13-6 as Thomas tripled to drive in a run and Rollins belted his first home run of the day. Thomas followed with a solo home run in the fourth to give MC a 14-6 advantage.
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MC added four more in the sixth frame, headlined by Rollins' second homer of the day as the Reddies sandwiched a pair of one-run frames around the final Choctaw scoring inning.
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The Blue and Gold sent four hurlers to the mound in the effort as
Kade Linn (1-0) registered the win. Linn tossed 1.2 frames and allowed two runs on two hits. MC starter
Austin Huggins pitched two frames in the start and allowed four runs on three hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts.
Gabe Garner and
Ervin Simmons each allowed a run in relief as they combined for the final 3.1 innings of relief work.
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Mississippi College returns to action on Friday, Feb. 17 as it opens Gulf South Conference play at Valdosta State University. First pitch of the opening game of the weekend series is set for 4 p.m. The Saturday doubleheader is pinned for a Noon start. Both starts are central time.
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