CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team stumbled as it stepped out of non-conference action and fell 12-9 to the University of Arkansas at Monticello on Tuesday, March 21. A six-run, top of the seventh proved the difference in the contest as MC moved to 8-19 on the season while the Boll Weevils improved to 15-11.
 
Cole Drake, JT Vance along with Kenner Bizot led the way at the dish as they each posted multiple hit-multiple RBI efforts. Drake and Vance paced the squad with three hits as Drake drove in four runs. Bizot logged a pair of knocks in the contest and joined Vance with two RBI. The trio combined to plate eight of the nine Choctaw runs in the contest.
 
The Blue and Gold held a 5-2 advantage following the first three frames as Drake and Bizot combined to drive in four runs during the third after Vance got the scoring started with a RBI-single to left field in the bottom of the first.
 
After UAM hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth to clip to margin to two runs, Chase Cripps launched a three-run home run to center field in the fifth to give the Green and White a one-run advantage through five innings.
 
The Boll Weevils then widened the gap in the seventh as it capitalized on Choctaw miscues to grab a 12-5 lead. MC looked to rally in the later innings as Vance recorded his second RBI of the day with a single to right field in the home half of the seventh and Jackson Breedlove drove in a run in the eighth with a double to left center. Drake capped the scoring in the ninth with a two-run home run that scored Vance from second following a one-out double. The home run marks the 37th on the campaign and the third for Drake, which moves him into a tie for fourth on the team.
 
Kade Linn (2-1) suffered his first setback of the season as MC sent seven hurlers to the mound in the affair. The New Iberia, La., native struck out two, but allowed three runs on three hits in an inning of relief. Choctaw starter Austin Huggins threw four innings and yielded three runs on three hits.
 
Matt Huey (1-0) gained the win on the bump as he tossed 2.1 innings and gave up a run on two hits with a pair of walks and a strikeout. Cripps led the team at the plate going 3-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Friday, March 24 as it travels to Cleveland, Tenn., for a three-game, Gulf South Conference series against Lee University. First pitch penciled for 5 p.m. central
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