LIVINGSTON, Ala. --- The Mississippi College baseball team split its Saturday, Gulf South Conference twinbill at the University of West Alabama. MC (14-17, 6-12 GSC) won the opener 9-4, but dropped the series finale, 6-1.
 
The Choctaws totaled 14 hits in the doubleheader, including 11 in the series opener.
 
After back-to-back home runs for the Tigers in the first inning, JT Vance placed the Blue and Gold on the board with a two-run home run to left field in the top of the third. It is the team-leading 12th of the season for the Union, Miss., native and the 21st of his career.
 
MC took its first lead of the game, 4-3, on its next trip to the dish as Korey Cooper collected his second home run of the season with a shot to right field that scored Cole Drake. It marks the first homer for the Brandon, Miss., product since Feb. 2 against Emmanuel University – also a two-run blast. Drake led off the inning with a single to left field.
 
After UWA knotted the game at 4-all, the Choctaws responded with a five-run sixth inning. Caleb Reese headlined the frame with a two-run, single to right center. The Bossier City, La., native scored two batters later and capped the scoring in the inning. Vance also garnered an RBI as he drove in Bryce LaRocca, who loaded the bases with a bunt single, following Reese's single.
 
After three scoreless innings to start the series finale, the Choctaws broke through as Copper singled through the right side to score Vance, who reached on a dropped fly in center field and advanced to second on the error. Following a Wesley Sides' walk, Drake beat out a potential double-play and keep the line moving.
 
UWA used a four-run, fifth inning to take the lead. Vineyard opened the scoring with a single that plated two runs. Houston Kitterman and Chase Dejean added RBI hits to help expand the deficit. Kitterman added to the run total again in the sixth as he drove in two more on a double down the left field line.
 
Austin Huggins (3-3) picked up the victory on the mound in the opener and gave MC its first Saturday decision since March 9 in the series opener against then the nationally-ranked University of West Florida. The Choctaw righty retired the Red and White in order in the fifth inning on nine pitches. The Winona, Miss., however, took the loss in the finale as he allowed two runs on two hits in a third of an inning.
 
Roe Ketchum (1-3) was saddled with the setback in the opener. He allowed four of the nine MC runs on six hits in four frames. He struck out two and allowed one walk in the start. Judah Buckner (1-0) received the victory on the hill with the final 2.1 innings of work. He struck out five and allowed one Choctaw baserunner in the relief appearance.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 2 as it hosts Arkansas Tech University in a midweek affair. The Wonder Boys hold the advantage in the overall series at 4-3, despite the Choctaw claiming a 7-3 victory last season in Russellville, Ark. First pitch is at 2 p.m.