CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College baseball team dropped a high-scoring contest, 12-8, to Southern Arkansas University on Tuesday, Feb. 25. MC moves to 7-7 on the season while the Muleriders improve to 9-6.
 
The Choctaws put together nine hits in the affair, highlighted by Korey Cooper, who went 3-for-4 at the dish with an RBI and two runs scored. The Dickinson, Texas, native registered the lone MC extra-base hit of the game with a double to left center in the seventh inning, scoring Bryce LaRocca. It marked the first of three runs in the frame.
 
Jimmy Wilson (0-1) took the loss on the mound, going three innings in relief with four runs allowed – three earned – on five hits. He was one of seven hurlers to take the bump for the Blue and Gold on the day.
 
The two squads stood deadlocked at 3-all through the first three innings, but SAU broke the stalemate with two runs in the top of the fourth and two more in the sixth, gaining a 7-3 advantage. MC added its fourth run in the bottom of the sixth as Beau Kirsch single to right field. The visitors from the Natural State responded in a big way with five runs in the top of the seventh, taking a 12-4 lead.
 
After Cooper's RBI-double in the home half of the seventh, JT Vance singled to left center, scoring Cooper. Vance later scored on a wild pitch to draw the Blue and Gold to within five runs. In the eighth, MC loaded the bases with two outs, managing one run as Bryce Capobianco was hit by pitch for the sixth time this season, a team best, scoring LaRocca.
 
Stetson Bishop (1-0) picked up the win on the mound for SAU. Bishop tossed four, hitless innings in relief, allowing one run with two walks and a strikeout. The Muleriders sent six pitchers to bump.
 
Mississippi College travels to Jackson, Tenn., on Friday, Feb. 28 for the first game of a three-game, Gulf South Conference series at Union University. First pitch is 6 p.m.