LIVINGSTON, Ala. --- The Mississippi College baseball team dropped its Gulf South Conference series opener at the University of West Alabama as the Tigers used two home runs to clinch the victory, 3-2. MC moves to 13-16 on the season and 5-11 in conference play. UWA improved to 15-17 and 8-11 in the league.
 
The Blue and Gold collected seven hits in the outing – coming from seven different players. Caleb Reese posted a lead off double in the eighth inning while Wesley Sides added a home run for the two extra-base hits for the Choctaws in the game.
 
Holland Townes (3-3) pitched a gem as he went all eight innings in the start. The Ridgeland, Miss., native punched out seven Tiger hitters – his seventh contest with five or more strikeouts in a game and the fifth straight – and scattered six hits. He allowed just one walk in the affair.
 
After UWA struck first with a leadoff home run on its first trip to the plate, the Choctaw responded in the top of the second with a pair of runs. Sides registered his first home run since Feb. 20 against William Carey as he relocated a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall to even the score at 1-1. It is the eighth home run of the season for the Southaven, Miss., native and the ninth of his two-year career. It is the 22nd solo home run of the season for the team and 42nd long ball of the season.
 
Two batters later, Beau Kirsch skied a ball into right field to push Cole Drake, who reached on a bunt single and later stole second, across the dish on a sacrifice fly to grab a 2-1 advantage. It marks the third RBI via sac fly for the Duson, La., product and the 15th for the club.
 
The Tigers reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Chase Dejean homered to left center and drove in Nick Thibodeau. It marked the second home run of the game for the Red and White-clad Tigers and the second for Dejean. Bryce Newman collected the first UWA home run of the game in the first inning.
 
Townes allowed just three hits between the span of the Tiger runs, including six strikeouts. It marked the third complete game for the Choctaw right-hander during his debut season in Clinton.
 
MC posted a scoring threat in the top of the eighth as Reese led off the inning with a double off the right field wall. He advanced to third on a fly out to right, but was stranded 90 feet away. MC went in order in the seventh and ninth to seal the contest.
 
Bryant Quimby (4-2) registered the win on the bump for the Tigers as he tossed seven frames in the start and allowed just six hits along with the two MC runs. Laney Keeton (2) recorded his second save of the season as he pitched the final two frames with two strikeouts and a hit.

The setback was the first for the Choctaws this season in a road, Friday affair. It was also the first Friday night encounter in over a month. The Blue and Gold's last Friday contest was a 13-2, sevening-inning trouncing at Auburn University at Montgomery on Feb. 23.
 
Mississippi College and West Alabama wrap up the series on Saturday, March 30 with a doubleheader. First pitch at Tartt Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.