CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team split its Gulf South Conference, Saturday doubleheader as the Choctaw (15-19, 7-14 GSC) rallied to take the series finale, 5-3, after the second game of the series slipped away, 7-6.
 
MC totaled 17 hits in the twinbill and were paced offensively by JT Vance and Caleb Reese, who finished the day with three hits each. The duo drove in two runs each, which was tied for second on the team. Wesley Sides paced the squad with three RBI – all in the series finale – as he logged a pair of hits for the day.
 
Jack Bell (1-1) garnered his first win of the season in the final game of the weekend as he tossed five innings in his first start of the campaign. He struck out five and allowed three runs on six hits alongside three walks. Michael Sutton (1) logged his first save of the season as he tossed the final two innings of the contest and allowed two hits and recorded a punch out in the relief appearance.
 
MC struck first in the contest with a run in its first trip to the plate, but expanded its margin with a trio of runs in the bottom of the third as Sides relocated a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall and onto the neighboring MC Softball Field. The home run pushed Vance and Tyler Jacobsen across the dish. The Southaven, Miss., product registered the squad's fourth, three-run home run on the campaign.
 
VSU narrowed the gap with two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth frame to cut the deficit to 4-3. The Blue and Gold answered with an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth as Vance collected his second, sacrifice fly RBI of the game as Blaise Breerwood scored.
 
The Blazers attempted its second come-from-behind win of the day as Owen Lawn led off the top of the sixth with a single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Sutton retired the next three hitters to foil a threat and help ice the contest.
 
MC held a 6-1 advantage heading into the top of the ninth in the opening game of the day, but let the lead slip away as the Black and Red posted a six-run, ninth to take its first lead of the day. The Blazers sent 10 to the plate in the frame. Pedro Moreno delivered the game-winning single as he drove in two runs.
 
After four-and-a-half scoreless frames, the Choctaw broke through with four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Reese headlined the inning with a two-run home run, that scored Luis Alcantara, on the fifth pitch of the at-bat. The homer marked the 11th of the season for the Bossier City, La., native, which places him second on the team in the category.
 
VSU plated its first run of the day in the top of the seventh, but the Blue and Gold responded with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to expand the margin to 6-1.  
 
CJ Lofton (1-4) was saddled with the setback in the first game of the day as he surrendered two runs on a hit and two walks. He was one of two Choctaw hurlers to see action on the bump in the contest. MC starter Cooper Gadman tossed eight innings and allowed three runs on five hits, but held the conference's top hitting team to a .192 clip at the dish.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 9 as it hosts Union University in a non-conference, midweek outing. MC looks to avenge a 10-9 setback to the Bulldogs earlier this season at the home of Casey Jones. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.