MARSHALL, Texas – A stellar season by the Millsaps College baseball team came to a close in extra innings against Huntingdon College in an elimination game in the Marshall, Texas NCAA Baseball Regional at Woods Field on Saturday.
 
No. 23 nationally ranked and No. 2 seed Millsaps (29-15) fought with heart but was bettered, 6-3 in 10 innings in the late stages by No. 4 seed Huntingdon (23-20).

The Majors earned an at-large bid into the regional after claiming the Southern Athletic Association Regular-Season title, while the Hawks secured an automatic bid after upsetting its way through the College Conference of the South postseason tournament.

Millsaps was appearing in the program's ninth NCAA Baseball Regional and first since 2015. The Majors were also recognized by the SAA with the Baseball Coaching Staff of the Year, SAA Baseball Athlete of the Year in senior Bradley Pelle as well as classmate and SAA Pitcher of the Year Nick Tarantino. The Majors never had a Pitcher of the Year recognized by the SAA until this season.

"It means the world especially for the team we have and the older class," Pelle said postgame of the Majors qualifying for the regional. "The Millsaps baseball program as a whole is a tight-knit group. We just want to make (teams from the past) proud, Coach Page proud, make each other proud and help each other out. It was amazing to see and the run we had was something you can't make up … It was an amazing ride and anyone on the team would say the same thing."

Saturday's postgame featured hugs, tears, gratitude and the sharing of memories and stories of a season well played, as many season finales typically do. However, Saturday's conclusion felt a little more touching as 15 senior and graduate Majors were on the field or watching from the dugout or stands in their final collegiate games for many.

Many players decided to return for the 2025 season.

"I came back for this moment, to get to a regional and to put a banner up on the wall at the field," graduate pitcher Wil Wood said postgame. "At the end of the day, I really came back because of how much I love these guys, how much this team means to me and how much Coach Page means to me. I couldn't give it up; I'd come back next year if I could."

Millsaps defied expectations after a tough 2024 season and were picked sixth in the 2025 SAA Baseball Preseason Poll. Throughout the spring, the team was ranked in the American Baseball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Coaches Poll and received votes in other polls.

Additionally, the team ascended as high as No. 14 in the first-ever NCAA Division III Baseball National Power Index on April 10. The NPI is now being used to determine who would qualify for the NCAA Baseball Championship in DI and DIII.

"I saw something in this team last year even though we didn't have a lot of things go our way," graduate Branyan Bounds said postgame. "I knew how special this team was and that's why I made it my goal to come back and figure some things out. You know, looking back on it that's probably the best decision I've ever made in my life."

Entering Saturday's game, the Majors and Hawks were familiar foes and used to playing non-traditional, nine-inning games. Huntingdon won, 11-0 on March 8 before Millsaps triumphed, 15-5 on April 9 – both in seven innings.
 
No. 32 left-handed pitcher Wood closed his career with 333 strikeouts, which is a Millsaps career strikeout record. He tossed 7.1 innings with six strikeouts against three charged runs, four hits and four walks on Saturday.
 
Pelle, an All-SAA First Team selection, posted two walks and saw an incredible 18-game hitting streak stopped at the hands of the Hawks' pitching staff. Huntingdon held the Major hitters to three hits.

Graduate Jackson Ware finished 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and double. Ware had a terrific regional after batting 3-for-3, scoring two runs, walking once and homering on Friday.

Senior Gray Berry added a double, stole a base and was hit by two pitches on Saturday. Berry currently ranks second across NCAA Division III with 29 HBP's on the season.

Berry, fellow senior Tarantino and classmate Evan Scott were also on the All-SAA First Team. Scott walked and scored a run against the Hawks.

Junior EJ Ousley scored a run and was hit by a pitch, while classmate Mason Morgan walked.
 
Wood started the contest strong with two strikeouts swinging in the top of the first. Berry followed with a leadoff double in the right-center gap. The Hawks were able to hold though with a fly out, pop out and ground out.

Huntingdon got the scoring started with a single to start the third frame. After a sacrifice bunt, a single through the right side brought the Hawk runner home from second base. Wood finished off the inning with a strikeout looking.

Berry reached base for the second time on the day with a hit by pitch and two outs in the home half of the third. He reached scoring position on a wild pitch, but a strikeout ended the chance.

The game had an unusual delay in the top of the fourth inning when a swarm a bees caused the umpires to clear the field momentarily. Wood was able to compose himself and complete the at-bat with yet another strikeout by a swing and a miss.

Millsaps then surged ahead to a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of the long ball. Scott would walk and Ware stepped in two batters later. With one swing of the bat, Ware crushed a ball over the left-field fence to put the Majors on top.

Wood then fired up the Major crowd in attendance despite the hot Texas heat with a strikeout looking, with a runner standing on third base to close the seventh.

The Majors added a run to make it 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Ousley was hit by a pitch, Morgan walked and graduate David Abbadessa advanced both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Berry then tallied a sacrifice fly out to right field to plate Ousley.

Huntingdon would tie the game at 3-3 in the eighth with a hit by pitch, wild pitch and four walks.

Graduate Jackson Hood stepped in relief in and closed the eighth with a strikeout looking.

The Majors looked poised to rekindle some Millsaps Magic in the bottom of the ninth as Ware opened with a stand-up double down the left-field line. However, the Hawks posted a strikeout, fly out and ground out to push the game into extras.

Huntingdon, which was also held down offensively for much of the game, came to life with three runs off four hits and grabbed a 6-3 lead.

Pelle walked with one out to give Millsaps a baserunner in the bottom of the 10th. The Hawks recorded two final outs thereafter to wrap up Saturday's elimination game.
 
The 2025 team's season may have ended but, the Majors brought great excitement, pride and numerous accomplishments home. The outgoing seniors and graduates helped put the Majors back on the national stage, will look back fondly and can hold their heads high like great squads in the program's past.

The foundation is set for a very promising team of juniors, underclassmen and an incoming class of players for 2026.

"I think the three classes behind us are sensational," Pelle added postgame. "They got to see us work and we have a bunch of great leaders on this team that showed you how to handle (things) and what it takes to be successful at this level. I think the younger classes have really seen that, taken that to heart and they are going to be more than prepared for next year."

 
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.