HATTIESBURG, Miss. — William Carey and Blue Mountain split their baseball doubleheader Thursday at Milton Wheeler Field. The Crusaders edged the Toppers 2-1 in the opener before Blue Mountain won the second game 11-5, according to the teams.
In the first game, Blue Mountain threatened early when Jacob Bryant singled and Cody Presley walked in the first inning. Carey pitcher Matthew Davies struck out two to escape the jam. The Toppers took a 1-0 lead in the third after Presley drove Jake Meilstrup home with an RBI double. Carey responded immediately, with DeeJay Booth singling and scoring on Franklin Hernandez’s two-out RBI single to tie the game.
The game remained tied until the fifth inning, when Hernandez’s sacrifice fly brought home Booth to give Carey a 2-1 lead. Davies allowed just one baserunner in the final two innings and retired the side in order in the seventh to secure the win, according to reports.
In the second game, Blue Mountain struck first with a two-run home run by Bryant in the first inning. Carey answered in the bottom half, with Jayden Mark driving in Booth. The Toppers regained momentum in the second, scoring three runs on three consecutive hits to lead 5-1. They extended their lead with three more runs in the fourth to go ahead 8-1.
William Carey attempted a rally in the seventh, with Alan McClean doubling home two runs. The Crusaders added two more in the ninth but fell short, as Blue Mountain completed the 11-5 victory. Carey will finish the series Friday at 1 p.m. with a single game at Milton Wheeler Field.
