Box Score
JACKSON – \#Drew Respess\# picked a perfect time to hit his first career home run for the Millsaps College baseball team coming in walk-off fashion with two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning to propel the Majors past visiting Huntingdon College Tuesday night, 19-18.
With \#Carson Goldsmith\# serving as the tying run on first base after walking earlier in the inning, Respess stepped up to the plate and down to Millsaps' last strike blasted a ball over the fence in right center to send the players and fans into a frenzy.
Often the first player to congratulate his teammates for a job well done, Respess was on the receiving end of that celebration tonight securing the victory for the Majors.
The Hawks struck first blood scoring three runs in the first inning off starter \#Elliot Varney\# highlighted by a two-run home run by Shawn Bezwiechen.
The Majors got one back in the bottom of the first and broke the game wide open with nine runs in the second inning as the first nine batters not only reached base but scored.
\#Jason Riggins\# led the inning with a towering solo home run and the next three batters reached base via walk.
The hits piled up for the Majors in the inning as they continued to put up runs eventually taking a 10-3 lead after two complete innings.
Huntingdon battled back scoring three in the third but Millsaps responded with two in the bottom half of the inning to stay ahead 12-6.
The Hawks cut into the deficit again with three more runs in the top of the fourth to close the gap to 12-9.
\#Trey Rountree\# hit a shot well over the fence in right center for a solo home run to put the Majors in front 13-9.
The runs continued to pour in as Huntingdon added three in the fifth off Mills to get within one, down 13-12 as Millsaps shifted around on defense.
Huntingdon continued its rally and evened the game 13-13 in the sixth inning with an RBI single from Bryant Hall.
Millsaps scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth when Riggins stole third and advanced home after the catcher threw the ball into left field for a 14-13 advantage.
The lead did not last long as the Hawks rallied to take their first lead since the opening inning scoring three in the top of the seventh for a 16-14 lead.
Huntingdon's Josh Bennefield hit an RBI double off the top of the fence in right center as the Hawks added to their lead in the eighth, 17-14.
After Mills opened the bottom of the eighth with a single, Riggins knocked him home with an RBI triple to the gap in left center.
The inning continued as the Majors tied the score 17-17 when Roussel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Neither team scored in the ninth sending the game into extra innings where Huntingdon's Chad Green led the 11th inning with a solo blast to center field for the 18-17 lead.
The Majors would not be outdone as Goldsmith reached with a walk leading up to Respess' dramatic home run.
\#Matt Conn\# picked up the victory throwing the final two innings in relief allowing only one run off one hit to win his second consecutive game for Millsaps.
With the victory, the Majors improve to 20-11 on the season and will be back in action this weekend when they host Southwestern University in a three-game series.
Derrel Palmer's Post-Game Interviews
