CONWAY, Ark. – Millsaps baseball graduate pitcher Ryan Erwin held off a furious Hendrix comeback attempt in an 11-8 victory at Warrior Baseball Field on Thursday.
Freshman catcher Austin Arceneaux went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, two runs and a walk. Classmate Bradley Pelle finished 2-for-3 with three runs, one RBI and a pair of walks.
Avery Brock sent the first three Warriors back to the dugout in the first inning, including a strikeout. Millsaps (17-17, 7-9 SAA) would take an early 1-0 advantage after Ware led the second with a walk. Pelle would smoke the ball over the first base bag for a triple. Arceneaux then built a 2-0 edge with a single back to the pitcher, scoring Pelle.
The Majors would explode for four more runs in the second, all with two outs. After Chris Hart walked, Mason Little would reach on an error to plate Arceneaux. Mark Petkovsek, Brock and Case Page all tallied RBI singles, respectively to push the Majors ahead, 6-0.
With the shift in play, Hart found the soft spot up the middle to score Arceneaux from second to make It 7-0 the very next inning.
Hendrix (24-9, 9-7 SAA) scored five runs to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Erwin would enter and record the final two outs in the inning to halt the rally.
The Warriors made it a new game in the fourth with two more runs to knot the game at 7-7. Pelle then led off the fifth and advanced to third on the next at-bat. A David Abbadessa single through the left side would allow the Majors to regain the lead at 8-7.
Erwin kept the momentum rolling with two strikeouts in the Warrior fifth. The offense carried through with three runs in the top of the sixth. Arceneaux used a double to right-center field to clear the loaded bases and push the Millsaps cushion to 11-7.
Hendrix would open the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles and eventually score a run. With two outs and runners on second and third, Erwin would limit the damage with a fly out to left field.
The Warriors would continue to threaten with two additional base runners in the eighth, but yet again Erwin relinquished the chance with a fly out.
In the ninth, Petkovsek wore his second hit by pitch of the night and NCAA-leading 21st overall. Hendrix would fall 1-2-3 in order as the Majors claimed an 11-8 victory.
Millsaps and Hendrix conclude the series with a Friday doubleheader, beginning at 2 p.m. Live links will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps baseball program follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.