BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. — Blue Mountain Christian University beat UT Southern 8-6 in the series finale at Topper Field after dropping the earlier game of a Saturday South Atlantic Conference doubleheader, the school said.
In the second game, UT Southern scored two runs in the third inning and held a 2-2 tie until the ninth, when the Firehawks pushed three runs for a 5-2 lead. Blue Mountain added a run in the bottom of the ninth on a Ross Polizzi sacrifice fly but fell 5-3. The Toppers finished with nine hits. Jake Meilstrup went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Yaidel Perez had two hits and Jacob Bryant drove in two runs. Starter Chris Matthews threw a complete game, allowing five runs on nine hits with five strikeouts in the loss, the release said.
Blue Mountain answered in the finale with an early offensive surge, plating four runs in the second inning highlighted by a three-run home run from Bryant. The Toppers added three runs in the third on RBI doubles by Trace Roy and Garret Lance and an RBI single by Gavin Foley to build a 7-0 lead. UT Southern rallied for five runs in the fourth to cut the margin, but Jarrett Morris delivered an RBI single to push the lead back to 8-5. The Firehawks added a run in the seventh for the final 8-6 score.
The Toppers totaled 13 hits in the win. Roy went 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Bryant finished with a home run, three RBIs, two runs and three walks. Lance had two hits and an RBI. Benji Webb earned the victory, working seven innings, allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits and striking out 10 to improve to 4-1, the release said.
The win closed the series on a positive note as Blue Mountain continues conference play in the SSAC. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
