JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps baseball team secured two wins over the weekend hosting Sewanee as Millsaps head baseball coach Jim Page secured his in 849th and 850th career wins. On Saturday, the Majors fell 6-4 and won 2-1 before claiming the series, 8-5 on Sunday at Twenty Field.
In 36 seasons, all at Millsaps, Coach Page improves his career record to 850-588-3. The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame coach ranks eighth among active NCAA Division III head coaches and 34th all time in victories.
Game 1: 6-4, L
The Southaven, Miss., native Will Norris pitched 6.1 quality innings, while holding the Tigers to one run and no walks against six hits allowed. He also finished 2-for-3 at bat with an RBI and walk.
Freshman Degan Hensley finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. Junior Evan Scott homered and walked, while sophomore EJ Ousley tallied hit, RBI and was hit by a pitch in Game One.
A home run by Hensley put the Majors up 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Millsaps would strengthen their early edge to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Norris singled Hensley home.
Sewanee would be held off the scoreboard until the seventh inning. A lead-off homer made it 2-1. The Tigers then used a huge four-run eighth inning to take a 5-2 advantage.
Ousley and graduate Branyan Bounds would then both be hit by pitches with the bases loaded and cut the deficit to 5-4. Sewanee would answer again in the top of the ninth on a wild pitch and hold for a 6-4 win.
Game 2: 2-1, (7 inn.), W
Graduate Wil Wood helped the Majors respond in Game Two on Saturday. He pitched a complete seven innings, while holding Sewanee to one run, two walks and three hits, while striking out seven batters.
Seniors Case Page and David Abbadessa (walk) ended 1-for-2 at bat with an RBI each. Hensley posted a 1-for-2 day with a run and hit by pitch. Bounds added a run scored and stolen base in the win.
Bounds singled and then stole second with one out to open the contest. Page later singled to right field to plate Bounds with two outs.
The Majors grabbed a 2-0 count in the fourth inning when Abbadessa singled home Hensley from third base.
In the top of the seventh inning, Sewanee utilized a single, wild pitch and ensuing single to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, Wood held strong with a strikeout to end Game Two victorious.
Game 3: 8-5, W
Junior Nick Tarantino and sophomore Gavin Tranchina combined for a solid performance on the mound in Game Three. Tarantino pitched 6.2 innings, striking out six, while allowing three runs, three walks and nine hits. Tranchina secured the win and finished the last 2.1 innings pitch with zero earned runs, one strikeout against just one hit and one walk.
Scott was terrific with a double, four walks, three RBIs and was hit by a pitch. Bounds batted 2-for-3, adding three runs, two walks and an RBI. Additionally, Ousley was strong with a hit, two runs, RBI and hit by pitch.
Millsaps again opened the scoring when Bounds began Sunday's contest with a double down the left-field line and later advanced to third. Ousley then stepped up to the plate and used a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the third, Sewanee would draw back even with a solo homer.
Junior Bradley Pelle then doubled and stole third to begin the third. Bounds singled home his teammate to reclaim a 2-1 margin.
The Majors would end the inning up 3-1 when Scott walked with the bases loaded.
Sewanee then began a late-inning flurry of runs. The Tigers tied the game at 3-3 following back-to-back doubles and a two-out single.
Millsaps closed the seventh by growing its lead back to 5-3 as an Ousley scored on a fielder's choice and Ware singled home Norris.
The Majors added three crucial runs in the eighth inning. Bounds reached home on a bases-loaded walk before Scott doubled teammates Ousley and Hensley, making it 8-3.
Sewanee continued to claw and scored twice to open the ninth. A throwing error and sacrifice fly made it 8-5. However, Tranchina closed the series finale with a fly out a strikeout looking as the Majors would win Game Three.
The Majors will be back in action on Tuesday to face Belhaven in Game Two of the Cowboy Maloney Series, beginning at 6 p.m. at Twenty Field.
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