MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Millsaps baseball team (24-10, 10-5 SAA) fell to Rhodes (21-13, 9-6 SAA) over the weekend at Stauffer Field.
On Saturday, the Majors split a doubleheader against the Lynx claiming a 9-3 triumph in Game One. In Game Two the Majors battled Rhodes to extra innings but were bettered, 7-6 in a thrilling, 9-inning contest. Millsaps later gave their all in Game Three but fell, 13-10 on Sunday.
Game 1, W: Millsaps 9, Rhodes 3
The Majors opened the series on the right track with a sound, 9-3 win in Game One on Saturday.
Senior Gray Berry went 3-for-5 and set a Millsaps personal career-high with four RBIs. The West Point, Miss., native also registered two doubles, one run and a walk.
Graduate Case Page also went 3-for-5 in hitting, while recording one run after a strong performance against Huntingdon earlier in the week. Senior Evan Scott (two RBIs, triple), graduate Branyan Bounds (RBI, run) and classmate Jackson Ware (two runs, double, walk) each recorded two hits against the Lynx.
Senior Bradley Pelle (home run, seven-game hit streak, two RBIs, two runs) and junior Mason Morgan (run, two walks) each recorded a hit to help the Majors total 14 base knocks in the first matchup.
Millsaps got the scoring started in the top of the first inning. Berry singled before Pelle reached on fielder's choice. Page and Scott then both singled, allowing Pelle to advance and score the game's first run.
In the top of the third frame, Berry again led off the inning with a single and advanced two bases due to a pair of passed balls.
Berry attempted to score with Pelle on first base, but both were tagged out on a pickoff play attempting to reach second base and home plate.
In the top of the fourth inning, Berry responded with a double to right field, scoring graduate David Abbadessa, Ware and Morgan to clear the bases for three RBIs. The hit put the Lynx behind, 4-0.
Pelle then stepped into the batter's box and blasted a two-run homer to make it a 6-0 contest.
Berry kept the team's momentum going in the sixth with a double to left field that allowed Bounds to advance home to better the Lynx, 7-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Tarantino yielded his first hit against. Rhodes finally got on scoreboard with a pair of runs off two hits and a hit by pitch, shortening their deficit down to 7-2.
Millsaps continued to add more firepower in the top of the seventh inning after Ware doubled and Bounds singled to right field to clear a path for Ware home. Bounds' RBI single made it 8-2.
Both teams scored in the eighth inning, beginning with a Scott RBI-triple, which scored Page from first. The Lynx made it a 9-3 contest off back-to-back doubles, but that would be the final run of the afternoon.
Norris closed out the ninth inning with a strikeout looking and forced a 6-4-3 double play to propel Millsaps to a 9-3 triumph in Game One.
Game 2, L: Rhodes 7, Millsaps 6 (9 inn.)
The Majors fell behind, 6-0 in Game Two and nearly fought all the way back. Rhodes claimed the contest, 7-6 in nine innings of the scheduled seven-inning matchup.
Bound crushed a game-tying grand slam and was hit by a pitch to ignite the offense.
Scott (RBI, run, double) and Abbadessa both batted 2-for-4 against the Lynx.
Pelle (run, stolen base), Page (walk) and junior EJ Ousley (run) each recorded a hit in Game Two.
Freshman Fred Fields pitched six scoreless innings of relief for the Majors. He only allowed three hits and zero walks, while striking out two batters.
Rhodes topped the Majors with a 3-0 lead in the first inning with a trio of hits.
In the bottom of the second inning, Rhodes stretched their margin to 6-0 aided by four singles and a hit by pitch.
However, the Majors' bats came to life for six runs in the top of the fourth inning. Berry was hit by a pitch before Pelle singled and both moved into scoring position on a stolen base to get the rally started.
Moments later, Page walked on four balls. An error on the pitcher scored Berry and plate the first run.
After getting on scoreboard, Scott batted a single to left field to score Page, helping the Majors shorten their deficit to 6-2.
Bounds then stepped in three batters later and blasted a grand slam beyond the Stauffer Field fence, tying the contest at 6-6.
Rhodes later put the first two batters on base in the fifth, but Fields closed out the threat with a foul out and two strikeouts.
Millsaps looked for the go-ahead run, but the Lynx defense stood tall with a double play in both the sixth and seventh innings.
The game went into the eighth and thus extra innings with the game originally scheduled for seven frames in Game Two of the doubleheader.
Scott led off with a double to left center and later advanced to third on an Ousley ground out. However, Rhodes answered with another ground out and a fly out to center field to keep the contest in a 6-6 draw.
The Majors allowed zero hits similarly with a fly out a pair of ground outs to stop the Lynx in their half of the eighth.
In the top of the ninth frame, Berry reached base with a walk with two outs.
Pelle then reached first base on an error by the Lynx first baseman and Berry advanced to second.
Page would touch first base on a fielder's choice, but a force play at second base gave the Lynx the final out.
Millsaps stopped the Lynx on a double play to begin the bottom of the ninth.
However, the Lynx found momentum and worked toward a walk-off hit.
Rhodes singled to center field, and the runner advanced to second base on a wild pitch to continue their effort.
A two-out walk followed before a single up the middle brought the runner home from second base to provide the winning run in Game Two on Saturday.
Game 3, L: Rhodes 13, Millsaps 10
The Sunday finale saw the Majors tally 20 hits, their most since Feb. 20, 2022. However, an eight-run third inning helped Rhodes claim Game Three and the series.
Pelle tallied a season-high four hits, while recording a run, an RBI and a double.
Ware batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs, a run, hit by pitch and a pair of doubles.
Scott went 3-for-5, recording two RBIs, two runs and a hit by pitch on the day.
Berry batted 2-for-3 against the Lynx and boasted two runs, two hit by pitches and a walk.
Morgan (run, hit by pitch) and freshman Wes Carr (run, double) each recorded two hits as well. Ousley and Page (two RBIs) posted a hit apiece.
Freshman Cam Cressend tossed 1.1 inning on the mound where he only allowed one run, zero hits and two walks.
In the top of the second inning, Scott led off with a double to get the Majors started. Moments later, Bounds grounded out, but scored Scott from third to give Millsaps a 1-0 lead.
Ware then doubled in Morgan to extend the Majors lead to 2-0.
Rhodes singled to right field to score a runner and cut the deficit down to 2-1 in the second.
Millsaps continued to hit well in the third after a sacrifice bunt by Page scored Berry from third, pushing the Major advantage to 3-1.
The Lynx erupted for eight runs in the third to claim a 9-3 edge off seven hits. A three-run double and two-run home run highlighted the inning for Rhodes.
Millsaps did not give up and cut the contest down to 9-5 in the top of the fourth inning after Abbadessa grounded out to score Bounds from third. Pelle then singled to bring Ware to home plate later in the inning.
The teams traded runs as Rhodes responded with a run in the fourth before Millsaps a run in the fifth. Bounds moved Scott home with a sacrifice fly to make it a 10-6 disadvantage.
In the top of the sixth frame, Carr and Pelle both doubled. A single by Page and Scott sent the pair home to put the Majors back in contention, trailing 10-8.
Ware followed in the seventh by powering a single to give the Majors a spark. Bounds would reach home to further put the Majors back into the contest, only behind at 10-9. The Lynx would escape after loading the bases with no outs.
Rhodes continued to fight as they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Lynx faced a bases loaded situation on defense in the top of the eighth, but survived with two outs.
Rhodes added a run in the eighth and made it 13-9. Looking to make a comeback at the top of the ninth inning, Berry, Pelle and Scott each singled to sound off the Majors.
Berry reached home on Scott's hot to give the Majors some momentum only down by three runs.
Rhodes would make a pitching change and strike out two batters to claim a 13-10 victory over the Majors to wrap up the series on Sunday.
Millsaps will be back in action in Game Three of the Cowboy Maloney Series against Belhaven University, beginning at 6 p.m. at Trustmark Park in Pearl, Miss., on Tuesday. Live video and live stats will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College baseball program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
