Box Score
JACKSON - After giving up seven runs in the first inning, the Millsaps College baseball team clawed its way back into the game only to see visiting Mississippi College hold on for the 9-6 win in the first game of the annual Cowboy Maloney series on a cold Wednesday night at Twenty Field.
The loss is the first of the season for the Majors who drop to 5-1 overall while MC improves to 5-1 overall.
The Choctaws jumped all over starting pitcher \#Jake Mills\# who did not make it out of the first inning after allowing the first seven batters to score. \#Blake Boleware\# entered in Mills' relief and got the three outs for the Majors.
Millsaps would get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning when \#Kevin Wall\# singled home \#Josh Ordeneaux\# to make the score 7-1.
Boleware gave up his only run in five innings of work in the third inning but the Majors again scored in the bottom half of the inning to remain behind 8-2.
After \#Jules Roussel\# reached on an error by the shortstop, Wall again came up big for Millsaps driving a shot into the right center gap to score Roussel but was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
Millsaps struck again in the seventh inning with a lead-off walk by Roussel followed by another single from Wall. A double steal advanced both runners into scoring position and \#Jeremy Aliff\# took advantage with an infield single to score Roussel from third.
Wall would score on a ground ball double play by \#Drew Leonard\# as the Majors found themselves down 8-5.
MC added to its lead scoring an unearned run in the eighth inning off reliever \#Zack Snider\# but a resilient Millsaps squad kept fighting and got one back in the bottom half when \#Wes Perkins\# hit a sacrifice fly to score \#Tyler Berry\#.
With a chance to put the game on ice, the Choctaws left the bases loaded when relief pitcher \#Matt Conn\# forced a line drive to Roussel to end the threat.
Daniel Cowart came in for the ninth inning and only allowed a hit-batter to reach base as MC hung on for the 9-6 victory.
The Choctaws' starting pitcher Craig Mackay (1-0) got the win throwing six innings allowing five runs --three earned-- on seven hits in six innings of work.
Mills (0-1) takes the loss for the Majors allowing seven runs --six earned-- on five hits.
Millsaps was led offensively by Wall who finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two stolen bases.
The Majors will hit the road this weekend for a pair of games at Southwestern University on Saturday and Sunday Feb. 20 and 21, beginning at 1 p.m. each day.
