HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Mississippi College baseball team secured its sixth Gulf South Conference series victory of the season as it built an early lead and held off a late rally by the University of Alabama in Huntsville to secure a 9–6 win on Saturday, Apr. 12.
It marks the first series win at Charger Park since 2018 and gives the program its most overall and conference wins in a season since 2019.
MC (26–16, 17–10 GSC) jumped out early with six-run second frame as it pounded out 11 hits in the contest, including five in the inning. The Choctaws picked up multiple-hit performances from
Logan Shurden,
Alex Johnson and
Cade Gadman. Shurden paced the squad with three hits while Johnson and Gadman combined to drive in five of the nine runs as the duo collected two hits each.
The Blue and Gold picked up a strong pitching performance from starter
Caleb Peterson (3-3) and closed the door on the outing as
Coby Gollott (4) secured his fourth save of the season and second of the series.
Peterson worked into the seventh inning, allowing just two earned runs on five hits with six strikeouts. He worked five scoreless frames after giving up a solo home run to UAH's Brock Butler in the first, keeping the Chargers off the board until the seventh inning. Gollott retired the side in order in the ninth on 11 pitches.
Gadman gave the Choctaws the lead in the second inning as he delivered a two-run single in the second inning.
Korey Cooper added a two-run double in the inning and later came around to score on a wild pitch as MC capitalized on a costly throwing error by the UAH shortstop.
Alex Johnson chipped in with a two-run double in the fifth to stretch the Choctaws' lead to 8–1. Gadman followed with an RBI single to make it 9–1.
UAH (19–22, 10–17 GSC) attempted a rally late, scoring five runs – one earned - in the seventh as MC left the door ajar with three errors, but the Choctaws' bullpen regrouped.
Blake Gollott stranded the bases loaded to end the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth before handing things off to his cousin, Coby, to close it out.
The Chargers totaled six hits in the contest, including five singles. Nick Compton (1-4) took the loss on the mound, pitching 1.2 innings in the start. He allowed six runs – two earned – on six hits.
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 15 as it travels to Magnolia, Ark., for a midweek tilt with Southern Arkansas University. First pitch is 3 p.m.
