BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – The Martin Methodist Baseball team dropped two out of three ballgames at Blue Mountain (Miss.) College Friday and Saturday afternoon in the club's Southern States Athletic Conference opening series.
The RedHawks (8-13-1, 1-2 SSAC) dropped the opening contest of the series by an 8-4 margin, but rebounded with a 10-5 victory in the nine-inning nightcap.
The Toppers (14-10, 2-4) were able to outlast the RedHawks with a 1-0 walkoff victory in Saturday's finale.
The RedHawks will return to action on March 14 for a non-conference doubleheader versus Brescia (Ky.) University and then open their SSAC home schedule next weekend with a three-game series against No. 1 nationally ranked Faulkner (Ala.) University.
Blue Mountain 8, Martin Methodist 4:
The RedHawks struck for a run in the very first inning of the series on an RBI single from Cole Porter, but Blue Mountain responded with three runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead.
After they surrendered single runs in the second and third innings, the RedHawks fell behind by a 5-1 margin, but rallied for three runs in the top of the third to pull within striking distance.
Porter and Conner Rivers both reached via hit by pitch and then Rob McMasters reached via a Blue Mountain error to load the bases. After a fielder's choice saw Porter tagged out, Britten Abbott cleared the bases with a one-out triple down the right field line.
Abbot was stranded at third after back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning and the RedHawks were left one run shy of tying the ballgame.
That would be as close as the contest came as the Toppers added two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth for the eventual four-run victory.
Elliott Bush (2-2) suffered the loss on the mound for the RedHawks. The senior allowed 10 hits and all eight runs in the defeat.
Alex Vanderford pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the RedHawks.
Martin Methodist 10, Blue Mountain 5:
Ben Hargrove scattered six hits and three runs over seven innings of work as the RedHawks rallied in the second ballgame to even the series.
Hargrove (4-1) notched his third win in as many starts for the RedHawks. The junior struck out five and issued four walks in the win.
The win almost never materialized for the RedHawks, who trailed by a 2-0 margin for five full innings.
In the sixth the RedHawks capitalized on another RBI triple from Britten Abbott to claw back in the ballgame. Abbott came around to score on the same play after a wild throw from right fielder Caleb Leach's wild throw.
The tie would be short lived as the RedHawks surrendered a run in the bottom of the sixth, but Hargrove received more run support in the top of the seventh as the RedHawks tacked on two more runs to take a 4-3 lead.
Hargrove allowed a hit and issued a walk in the seventh, but was able to wiggle out of a jam and keep the lead intact through seven full innings.
The RedHawks added two more runs in the top of the eights on an RBI double from Abbott and an RBI single from Kevin Grove to push the lead to 6-3.
Tanner Reed allowed two runs in the bottom of the frame to pull the Toppers within striking distance yet again.
But the RedHawk lineup exploded in the top of the ninth for four runs to push the lead out of reach at 10-5.
Conner Rivers finished the ballgame 3-of-4 at the plate and had an RBI single. Abbott and Grove had three RBIs apiece as the RedHawks plated 10 or more runs for just the second time this season.
Blue Mountain 1, Martin Methodist 0:
Saturday's series finale saw a pitcher's duel break out as Logan Underhill came one out shy of notching nine scoreless innings on the mound in a 1-0 heartbreaking defeat.
The RedHawk bats produced five hits, but were unable to come up with a clutch hit to plate the first run of the ballgame.
The best chance of the contest came in the top of the fourth for the RedHawks as Drew Nipper singled to left and was advanced to second via a sacrifice bunt. Robert Smith reached via catcher's interference to put two on with just one out.
But the RedHawks grounded into a fielder's choice and then struck out on the two ensuing at-bats to end the scoring threat.
Underhill (2-3) advanced to the ninth with just three hits surrendered and appeared in position to deliver the RedHawks into extra innings.
After a fly out to start the ninth, Jackson Pruitt's wild throw allowed Peyton Callahan to reach first. Pinch runner Zack Poteete advanced to second on a stolen base and came around to score on a two-out single to left for the game's lone run.
Underhill walked just one batter and struck out four in the tough-luck loss.
Josh Letson walked three and surrendered five hits in eight innings of work for the Toppers. Reliever Jonas White pitched a perfect ninth inning to claim the win.
