FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama pulled out a 2-1 win in 13 innings in the opener before Mississippi College rolled to a 7-0 win in the nightcap in a Gulf South Conference double-header at Mike Lane Field.
With the split, UNA is now 17-11 overall and 9-5 in the GSC. Mississippi College is 19-5 overall and 9-4 in the GSC.
The opener was a scoreless pitcher's duel between UNA's
Tyler Joyner and MC's Chris Crosby through six innings before the Lions pushed a run across the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Tate Mathis drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second and scored on a ground ball to shortstop was thrown away at third. The Choctaws tied the game in the eighth as Grant Barber drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Blaine Crim RBI-single.
The game remained tied 1-1 until the bottom of the 13
th when UNA's
Peyton Sockwell got a leadoff single, was sacrificed to second and
Tate Mathis was intentionally walked. After a walk to
Reid Homan by reliever Christian Bellew,
T.J. Lockett also drew a walk to force in the winning run.
Josh Stillman (1-0) got the win for UNA in relief, throwing three scoreless innings and allowing just two hits.
Tyler Joyner started for UNA and threw eight innings, giving up just one run on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Channing Wall pitched two scoreless innings of relief before Stillman came on.
Tommy Taborda (0-2), the fourth of five Choctaw pitchers to throw in the game, took the loss. He pitched an inning and a third and gave up a run on two hits with two walks.
In the nightcap, Mississippi College scored five runs off UNA starter
Lane Wallace in the first inning and then added two more runs in the third for the 7-0 win.
UNA managed just four hits in the game and left six runners on base.
Wallace (4-3) pitched three innings and allowed seven runs on five hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Nick Cummings pitched four scoreless innings of relief for the Lions.
The Lions and Choctaws play the final game of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
