JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps baseball team led early, but Berry College fought back to win 18-8 at Twenty Field on Saturday. The Majors recognized senior Graham Harrison as well as graduates Branyan Bounds, Nathan Chilton, Braden Robinson and Robert Vassallo for Senior Day prior to first pitch.
Junior Nick Tarantino pitched the first four innings with four strikeouts against three walks, five runs and seven hits.
Classmate Gray Berry (two runs scored, two RBIs, stolen base), junior Evan Scott (home run, run scored, three RBIs) and senior David Abbadessa (run scored) all tallied two hits. Bounds had a strong day going 1-for-3, with two RBIs, a run scored, a walk and stolen base.
Berry struck first with two runs in the first inning following a pair of bases-loaded walks.
The Majors answered for two runs in the same frame. Gray Berry singled with two outs and Scott battled deep into the ensuing count. He then crushed a no-doubt home run over the left-field fence to tie the game.
Millsaps made it 3-2 in the second when the first two Majors reached successfully. An Abbadessa sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position. Bounds followed by bringing home freshman Degan Hensley with a sacrifice fly into left field.
The Vikings threatened with a runner on third in the third with two outs, but Tarantino forced a long fly out to center field.
Defensive play continued to be on display as a ball glanced off Tarantino's glove in the fourth and Gray Berry made a bare-handed toss across the diamond for the out. The bases became loaded, but a pop up to Case Page closed the opportunity.
Majors scored five runs in the fourth, beginning with a sophomore EJ Ousley sacrifice bunt RBI. Bounds then singled home Hensley and Gray Berry plated two runners with a single to right center and error. Scott ended the inning and scoring by singling around Gray Berry.
Berry battled back with eight runs in the fifth, including a three-run home run, to make it a 10-8 advantage in its favor.
Millsaps looked to answer immediately with two walks to begin the bottom of the fifth and loaded the bases with one out. However, a 5-3 double play closed the frame.
The visitors added another run in the sixth to pull ahead, 11-8 courtesy of a sacrifice fly. Berry added two additional tallies in both the seventh and eighth and three runs in the ninth to build the 18-8 margin.
Millsaps next travels to face Birmingham-Southern, beginning on Friday at 5 p.m. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
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.
