CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team dropped its series finale against Emmanuel University as it fell 7-4 on Monday, Feb. 5 at Frierson Field at Dickins-Scoper Stadium. Both squads move to 2-2 on the season.
 
Wesley Sides and Beau Kirsch tied for tops on the team with two hits. Sides went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored while Kirsch finished 2-for-4. Sides finished the weekend hitting .462 with six hits, including three for extra bases and seven RBI.
 
Logan Shurden added the lone multiple-RBI performance of the day as he drove in two of the Choctaws' four runs.
 
After EU manufactured three runs in its first three trips to the plate, MC responded in the bottom of the third as Shurden relocated a ball, through the stiff north wind, and over the right field fence to clip the margin to a run with a two-run home run. The home run is the first for the West Monroe, La., native and ninth hit by the Blue and Gold during the four-game span.
 
The Lions re-extended the deficit to three runs in the top of the fifth. However, again, the Blue and Gold attempted to rally in the latter innings. Sides would rumble home in the seventh on an infield groundout and JT Vance followed in the eighth with a triple down the left field line to score Caleb Reese, but the scoring would be capped there for the homestanding Choctaws.
 
Brody Campbell delivered the final blow in the top of the ninth as he hit two-run home run to extend the deficit back to three runs. Bryce LaRocca extended the bottom of the ninth with a one-out, single up the middle, but a 4-6-3 ground ball, double-play extinguished the threat.
 
Tristan Thurman (0-1) was saddled with the setback. The Aledo, Texas, native allowed five runs – three earned – on three hits in 4.1 innings of action. He also surrendered three walks and added four strikeouts.
 
Noah Cantleberry (2-0) recorded his second victory of the season. He pitched 1.1 innings in relief and surrendered one run on two hits alongside a pair of strikeouts in five batters faced. Thomas Collins continued his streak at the plate as he went 2-for-4 at the dish along with a walk and two runs scored. Collins finished the series 12-for-19 with three home runs and four RBI.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Friday, Feb. 9 as it hosts Miles College in the first of a three-game series. First pitch against the Golden Bears is 3 p.m.
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