JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps baseball team (13-19, 3-12 SAA) were unable to stop Centre (23-8, 10-5 SAA) in 11 innings, falling 5-4 at Twenty Field on Sunday.
Senior David Abbadessa batted 3-for-5, while classmate Case Page went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs. Fellow senior Jackson Ware finished 2-for-5 with a walk, run scored and RBI.
Junior Nick Tarantino threw seven quality innings with eight strikeouts. He also didn't allow a walk, while surrendering two earned runs and seven hits.
Centre opened the scoring in the top of the second inning with the help of a one-out double. An error advanced the runner to third and an ensuing fielder's choice made it 1-0.
The Majors soon answered with two runs in the bottom of the second. Junior Gray Berry singled and soon raced to second off a wild pitch. After reaching third, Page singled and allowed Berry to score.
Page later advanced to second on a throwing error. He was plated courtesy of a Jackson Ware RBI single to right field.
Millsaps put runners on second and third with two outs in the third following a wild pitch, but Centre escaped with a ground out to third base.
Centre tried to threaten with a leadoff single in the fourth, but were thwarted with a pair of fly outs and strikeout looking by Tarantino.
The Majors tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fourth after loading the bases and forcing a pitching change. Graduate Branyan Bounds was poised, drawing a four-pitch walk and brought Page to the plate from third.
Moments later an erroneous throw on the shortstop pulled the first baseman off the bag, allowing Evan Scott to reach safely and score Ware for a 4-1 advantage. The play was originally called an out but overturned after an appeal.
The Colonels answered with a two-out solo home run in the fifth to cut the deficit to 4-2. Centre looked destine for more with runners on the corners and two outs in the sixth, but Berry came rushing in for a great throw from third across the diamond.
Millsaps put two runners in scoring position with two outs in the seventh, but the Colonels held with a fly out. Centre continued to claw back and scored twice to tie the contest at 4-4 in the top of the eighth. The Colonels used three hits, two steals and a throwing error in the inning.
The Majors threatened to regain the lead in the bottom of the eighth after loading the bases with one out following back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch. The Colonels closed the inning with two fly outs.
Both teams' pitching and fielding held tough in the ninth and 10th as the game marched on. Centre grabbed their first advantage since the second inning in the top of the 11th with a go-ahead run. The Colonels with two outs utilized a pair of walks, a hit by pitch and pair of wild pitches to make it 5-4.
Bounds gave the Majors life once again in the bottom of the frame after reaching second on an outfield error. However, Centre forced three fly outs to close the series.
Millsaps finishes its regular-season home schedule against Berry next weekend, beginning with a 12 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. Senior Day will then take place on Sunday with a noon first pitch. Live video and live stats are 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.
