CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team split a Gulf South Conference twinbill with the No. 8 University of West Florida on Saturday, March 9. MC (11-7, 4-4 GSC) rallied in the bottom of the ninth to take the opening game, 4-3, but falling in the second contest, 3-1.
 
A quartet of Choctaws recorded three hits during the doubleheader. Cole Drake led the way at the plate as he went 3-for-5 at the dish, good for a .600 batting average. Korey Cooper and Bryce LaRocca posted a .500 clip apiece going 3-for-6. The duo combined to drive in three of the Blue and Gold's five runs on the day. Caleb Reese rounded out the group hitting .375 with three hits in eight at-bats. DK Donaldson and Drake each added an RBI.
 
Kyle Collet (3-0) notched the win on the bump in the opener as he tossed 3.0 innings in relief. He allowed two runs on two hits paired with a strikeout. CJ Lofton tossed 6.0 innings in the start and surrendered one run on six hits with two strikeouts and three walks in the no decision.
 
Holland Townes (2-1) put together his second complete-game performance of the season as he went seven strong innings, but was tagged with the setback as he allowed three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.
 
After a 1-1, pitching duel through eight innings, the Choctaws found themselves trailing 3-1 heading to the bottom of the ninth in the series lidlifter, however, they rallied with three runs in their last at bat to pick up the program's first win over the Argonauts (13-6, 6-2 GSC) in Clinton since March 17, 2018.
 
A pair of walks got things started for MC in the ninth and a Drake bunt, single loaded the bases with no outs. Cooper narrowed the deficit to a run with a sacrifice fly to center field and after Beau Kirsch singled up the middle to load bags for the second time in the half frame, LaRocca was hit by a Dilan Lawson pitch to knot the contest for the second time in the game. Donaldson handed the Choctaws the outcome on the first pitch of his pinch-hit appearance as he lifted a ball into right field and Drake crossed the plate on the sac fly as the ball was cut off entering the infield.
 
UWF broke the stalemate with two runs in the top of the frame and looked to add more, but Trent Jeffcoat was thrown out at the plate by LaRocca as Kirsch applied the tag at the dish.  Jeffcoat snapped the deadlock with a two-RBI double to left field.
 
Major Posey (0-1) was saddled with the loss on the bump as he allowed three runs on two hits paired with two walks in the relief appearance. Dalton Neuschwander tossed eight strong innings as he struck out three, walked two and allowed one run on four hits in the start.
 
In the second game, the Choctaws again found themselves trailing 3-1 heading into their final at bat, but this time the Green and Blue wouldn't let the lead slip away. UWF posted the first run of the game in its first trip to the plate and added a second run in the top of the fourth to take a 2-0 advantage.
 
MC cut the margin in half in the home portion of the fourth as LaRocca singled to left field to score Drake. The base hit was one of seven in the game for the Blue and Gold and the fifth single. Reese recorded the only two extra-base hits of the contest for the Blue and Gold as he garnered a double and triple, his two hits on the outing.
 
The Argos added their third run of the game in the top of the seventh as Darrien McDowell lifted a ball over the left centerfield wall to give the squad a 3-1 lead. MC looked to rally for a second time in the bottom of the seventh as Bryce Breerwood was hit by a pitch with two outs, but it wasn't enough.
 
Kade Manderscheid (4-0) remained unblemished on the season as he recorded eight strikeouts in the complete-game performance and allowed just eight MC baserunners during the duration.
 
Mississippi College and West Florida close out the series on Sunday, March 10. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
 
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