Mississippi College Baseball Beats Arkansas at Monticello 11-4
Mississippi College baseball defeated the University of Arkansas at Monticello 11-4 Tuesday at Frierson Field. The Choctaws (11-9) scored seven runs in the fifth inning to secure their third consecutive win in the series and their 23rd overall.
Alex Johnson led the offense with two home runs and a season-high five RBIs. He also recorded four hits, marking his best performance this season. JT Thigpen added three hits, including a home run, drove in two runs, and scored twice. Cade Gadman contributed two hits, scored twice, and had one RBI. Jake LaRocca also added two hits, a season high.
Pitching duties were handled by Connor Pittman, who earned his second win of the season after tossing two innings in relief. He struck out three and allowed one earned run on three hits. Starter Blake Gollott pitched four innings, allowing two earned runs on a hit while striking out five batters. The bullpen — Taylor Ballard, Will Daniel, and Carter Wells — combined for the final three innings, striking out four and giving the team 12 total strikeouts, the second-most this season.
The Choctaws jumped out early, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning after Johnson’s three-run homer. Thigpen singled and stole second before scoring on Langston’s walk. MC added another run in the third on Langston’s sacrifice fly. Arkansas at Monticello scored twice in the fourth on a two-RBI double by AJ Keely, but the Choctaws responded strongly in the fifth with a seven-run rally. Johnson hit his second home run of the game, and Thigpen followed with a two-run shot. Gadman had an RBI single, and LaRocca doubled in a run to cap the inning’s scoring, extending the lead to 11-3.
The Boll Weevils managed a solo homer in the ninth but couldn’t mount a comeback. Ryan Mesaris took the loss for UAM, allowing three runs on two hits over two innings. Elijah Olaybal led Arkansas at Monticello with two hits.
Mississippi College returns to Gulf South Conference play Friday, traveling to Montgomery, Alabama, to face Auburn University at Montgomery. The series opener is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Source: Original Article
