JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi University for Women baseball team defeated North Park University 15-4 in a walk-off, run-rule game at Millsaps College. The Owls (4-5) ended the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run homer by Baron Brack, giving MUW the 10-run lead necessary to invoke the run rule.
Senior Zach Johnson opened the scoring with a two-run home run in the first inning, his second in as many games. The Owls added a run on a wild pitch in the third, but North Park responded with one run in the fourth and two in the fifth to tie the game at 3-3. MUW regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to Chase Marshall’s first homer as an Owl, a two-run shot that made it 5-3.
North Park chipped away, scoring one run in the sixth, but MUW responded with a six-run inning to extend its lead. RBI singles from Jay Marbutt and Johnson, a two-run double by Brack, and a run-scoring single from Marshall pushed the score to 10-4. The Owls continued their offensive surge in the seventh with a bases-loaded triple by Johnson, clearing the bases, and Brack’s two-run homer over the right-field fence sealed the win.
The top of the MUW lineup led the offensive effort, accounting for 15 of the team’s 16 hits. Matthew Windham went 2-for-4 with a double, walk, and three runs scored. Marbutt was 4-for-5 with four runs and an RBI. Johnson also went 4-for-5, drove in six runs, and scored three. Brack finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Marshall added two hits, a homer, three RBIs, and a run scored.
Starting pitcher Zach Connell threw 4.1 innings, allowing one hit and three earned runs, with five walks and three strikeouts. Chris Ellis earned the win in relief, pitching 2.2 innings of four-hit ball, allowing one run. The Owls will face Alma College on Monday at 4 p.m. at Millsaps College in their final pre-SLIAC game of the season.
