JACKSON, Miss. (Feb. 13) -- Hendrix College opened Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) play with a pair of nine-inning games at Millsaps College this weekend. The Warriors dropped a 3-1 game on Saturday and then suffered a 4-3 setback in 11 innings on Sunday afternoon.
The Warriors fall to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in SCAC action, while the Majors improve to 4-0 on the year and 2-0 in league play. The two teams will meet again to wrap up the season-series on March 19 (doubleheader) and March 20 (single nine-inning).
Millsaps senior right-hander Aaron Williams scattered three hits over 7.0 innings and allowed just one run to pick up his first win of the season on Saturday. Senior reliever Jason Riggins finished the last two innings for his first save of the year. Hendrix junior righty Teddy Smoyer was pinned with the loss after allowing just four hits in the first five innings.
Millsaps scored one run on a sacrifice fly in the third, one run on a throwing error in the fifth and one run on a fielder's choice in the eighth inning. Hendrix scored its lone run in the fourth on an RBI double by junior Andrew Thames.
The two teams stretched Sunday's contest into extra innings after Hendrix tied the game in the ninth. The first four innings was a pitchers duel as both teams combined for just three hits, until the Warriors pushed one run across in the fifth. Junior Clark Sims walked, stole second and scored on a single from junior Aaron Bowen.
Hendrix took a 2-0 advantage in its next at bat when junior Mark Vlaskamp hammered a double (his 2nd of the weekend) to score first year Thomas Weber.
Millsaps evened the score in the bottom half of the sixth when a throwing error sent two runs across the plate with two outs. The Majors went on top in the seventh after a fielding error loaded the bases and a two-out walk scored the go-ahead run.
Vlaskamp led off the ninth with a single but was gunned down at the plate on first year Collin Radack's double to right field. Radack took third on the throw home and Sims knotted the game with a clutch single through the right side.
Both teams went three up, three down in the 10th and Hendrix threatened in the 11th on Radack's two-out double, however, Sims grounded out to the shortstop to end the Warriors' at bat.
Millsaps scored its second go-ahead run on a wild play at the plate in the 11th. The Majors' leadoff batter was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Millsaps got the bunt down to put the game-winning run at third, however, miscommunication by Hendrix left the plate wide open and first year Kevin Wall sprinted all the way from second base to slide home for the game-winning run.
Weber started on the hill for Hendrix and pitched well after allowing just four hits and striking out three in 5.1 innings of work. First year Will Harris tossed the last 3.2 innings and suffered the loss.
Sophomore Elliot Varney struck out five batters in the first 7.0 innings for the Majors. Riggins fired the last 3.0 innings to pick up the win after earning the save on Saturday.
For more information on Hendrix Athletics please visit www.hendrixwarriors.com or contact Brian Rejer, Sports Information Director, at (501) 450-1426. Also, be sure to follow the Warriors on Twitter by checking out @Warrior_SID.
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