JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps baseball team swung into the 2021 season with a split hosting No. 25 Hendrix College at Twenty Field on Saturday. Millsaps took game one of the opening series, 2-0 and fell in the second, 5-2. Sunday's games were called off because of icy weather in the region.
GAME 1
The Majors' pitching was outstanding in the opener. Sophomore starting pitcher
Wil Wood tossed 5.0 scoreless innings, striking out six while holding Hendrix to just two hits. Senior
Ryan Erwin was equally impressive in relief. Through 4.0 innings, Erwin yielded just two bases runners (one hit, one hit by pitch), while striking out two Warriors.
On the opposite side of the mound, Hendrix starter Jack Hodgins was tough to beat. Hodgins tossed 6.0 scoreless innings, while striking out seven Major hitters and allowed three hits.
The game opened up in the bottom of the seventh when Nathan Silva entered in relief of Hodgins. A double by junior
Avery Brock provided the Majors first extra-base hit of the game with a double and put the squad in prime scoring position.
Jon Dale Dieckman provided an answer to the scoreless draw. He singled to right field scoring Brock to crack the scoreboard.
Millsaps would add another run to its narrow lead in the bottom of the eighth. Junior
Chris Hart reached second base on a throwing error by the Hendrix shortstop with one out.
Mark Petkovsek Jr. then singled to put Hart 90 feet from home.
A wild pitch by Zach Orlando of Hendrix would score Hart to push the Major advantage to 2-0. Erwin then closed the door in the ninth to give Millsaps the win.
GAME 2 (7 Innings)
Millsaps (1-1) would take an early lead in the second game on Saturday, but a rough sixth led to a 5-2 defeat against No. 25 Hendrix (1-1). Sophomore
Brady Davis pitched 5.0 innings, surrendering four runs off four hits while adding a strikeout.
Sophomore
Sam Pitre doubled with two outs in the bottom of the first and was plated by senior
Mason Little to give Millsaps an early 1-0 edge.
Hendrix would tie the game in the third after a hit by pitch and throwing error put Rally Miller on third base. Miller would score on a sacrifice fly knotting the game at 1-1.
Hart would give Millsaps the lead right back in the bottom half of the third inning. The Brandon, Miss., native would reach base with a single then advance to second on a wild pitch. Pitre would join Hart on the basepaths with a walk. The pair would reach second and third with a double steal. Little would then single to score Hart and give Millsaps its final lead of the weekend at 2-1.
The game would hold the same score until the top of the sixth where Hendrix scored four runs. Adam Bland would provide a two-run homer for Hendrix, while a throwing error later in the inning would add two more runs.
Millsaps returns to Twenty Field to host Rhodes, Feb. 20-21 for a pair of doubleheaders. Both days are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. CT with the second game starting at 3 p.m.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps baseball program, follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
