ROME, Ga. – The Millsaps College baseball team opened its weekend by traveling to the Peach State to take on Berry College in a three-game series. The Majors fell 4–3 in Game One and 12–5 in Game Two during a Friday doubleheader before dropping Game Three, 5–4, in the Vikings' late walk-off on Saturday at William R. Bowdoin Field.
Game One: Berry 4, Millsaps 3, L
Millsaps showed discipline at the plate and strong pitching throughout Game One on Friday, while Berry capitalized to secure the late triumph.
Sophomore Wes Carr batted 2-for-5 against the Vikings while recording one RBI, and a double senior Mason Morgan recorded one run, a hit, and two walks.
Sophomore Kyle Veal Jr. registered one run, an RBI, and a walk, while senior EJ Ousley boasted one hit, an RBI, and a double to open the weekend series.
Freshman Jackson Devey pitched 6.1 innings on the mound where he only allowed three runs, one walk while striking out two batters.
The Majors struck early by playing fundamental baseball and taking advantage of the Vikings.
In the second inning, senior Layne Cross delivered an RBI single to bring home Veal Jr., giving Millsaps a 1–0 lead on an unearned run.
Millsaps added another run in the third inning as Veal Jr., drew a bases-loaded walk to score Morgan, extending the Majors advantage to 2-0.
Berry responded in the fifth inning, plating two runs to even the score at 2-2.
The Majors answered in the seventh inning with timely hitting. junior Wesley Grant led off with a single, and with two outs.
Ousley delivered a clutch double to drive in Grant and pushed Millsaps back in front, 3-2.
Devey's outing came to a close later in the seventh after surrendering a solo shot that tied the game at 3-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Vikings delivered a walk-off single to secure the 4-3 win over the Majors.
Game Two: Berry 12, Millsaps 5, L
Millsaps recorded nine hits, while Berry tallied 16 hits and took advantage of 10 walks to secure the win.
Carr made a strong impact, crossing the plate twice and collecting two hits, including a double.
Sophomore Carston Williams contributed with two hits and a stolen base, adding one run to the team's total.
Senior Sam Thomas led with two RBIs, while also scoring once and stealing a base. Morgan registered an RBI and a hit, also executing a successful sacrifice hit.
Sophomore Cam Cressend started for the Majors on the hill, pitching 3.0 innings while striking out one batter and allowing just two walks.
Berry took an early lead in the first inning, scoring one run. The Majors responded in the third inning as Cross reached first on an error, which set the stage for Carr and Williams to deliver singles, loading the bases.
Thomas then provided a solid two-RBI single, scoring Cross and Carr. Additional walks allowed Williams and Thomas to score, bringing the Majors' total to four runs in the inning, pushing them ahead 4–1.
In the fourth inning, Millsaps added another run when Carr doubled and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Morgan, extending the lead to 5–1.
However, Berry responded with four runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game at 5–5.
Berry took control in the fifth inning, adding three runs to pull ahead 8–5. The Vikings continued to add to their lead, scoring one run in the seventh and three more in the eighth.
The game concluded with the Vikings securing a 12–5 victory over the Majors.
Game Three: Berry 5, Millsaps 4, L
Thomas put up strong numbers in Game Three following a relentless effort. The Ridgeland, Miss., native went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and recorded a three-run home run. He closed the three-game series against the Vikings with a career-high four RBIs.
Williams (run, walk) and Ousley both batted 2-for-4, Grant and Carr (two runs, walk) each finished their trip in Georgia with one hit in a hard-fought effort.
On the mound, senior Andrew Bradley pitched 7.0 innings, where he allowed only one run and zero walks to show off his fatigue.
In the top of the first inning, Thomas blasted a single to right-center field to get the Majors started.
In the top of the third inning, Williams singled to third base, and Thomas added another single to right field to bring Williams home to give the Majors a 1–0 lead.
Playing with a chip on his shoulder, Thomas hit a three-run home run over the fence at William R. Bowdoin Field to help Millsaps extend its lead to 4–0.
Berry went to its bullpen and made a pitching change in the top of the sixth inning after Ousley singled through the left side.
After a slow start by the Vikings, Berry finally got on the board with a double that scored a runner, cutting the lead to 4–1.
Millsaps continued to stand on its ground in the bottom of the seventh as Williams singled up the middle, followed by Thomas, who stayed hot with another single up the middle.
In the bottom of the ninth, Berry responded with a single up the middle to score two runners.
Moments later, a walk-off single up the middle scored two additional runners, helping the Vikings secure a 5–3 comeback victory against Millsaps on Saturday.
The Majors will next face Southwestern University on Friday, March 1, at home in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m., before wrapping up their regular-season schedule on Senior Day Saturday against the Pirates.Live video and live stats will be provided 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.
