BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – Tennessee Southern concluded its Southern States Athletic Conference weekend series at Blue Mountain Christian on Saturday, claiming the series and splitting the final day as the Firehawks earned a 5–3 extra-inning win in game two before falling 8–6 in a seven-inning series finale.
In game two, Tennessee Southern leaned on timely hitting and strong pitching to secure the victory in extras of a game originally scheduled for seven innings.
The Firehawks broke through in the third inning. Carson Foote singled and later moved into scoring position before Anthony Pastrana delivered a base hit. With two aboard, Gage Beckner doubled to left field, driving in both runners to give Tennessee Southern a 2–0 lead.
Tennessee Southern maintained the lead into the seventh before the Toppers answered with a pair of runs to even the game at 2–2.
The Firehawks responded in the ninth with a decisive rally. Devin Thrain launched a solo home run to left to give Tennessee Southern the lead. Later in the inning, Foote drew a walk and Evan Nelson followed with an RBI double down the left-field line. Pastrana capped the inning with an RBI single to extend the lead to 5–2.
On the mound, Jake Stuteville delivered a strong start, working into the seventh inning while allowing just two runs. Will Vines earned the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, and Collin Perkins closed the door in the ninth to secure the save.
Pastrana led the Firehawks with three hits and an RBI, while Foote added two hits and scored twice. Thrain finished with two hits, including the go-ahead home run, and an RBI. Beckner drove in two runs with his double, and Nelson added a double and an RBI.
In the series finale, which was played as a seven-inning contest, the Toppers jumped out early and held off a mid-game rally from the Firehawks to claim an 8–6 win.
Blue Mountain Christian plated four runs in the second inning and added three more in the third to build a 7–0 lead.
Tennessee Southern answered in the fourth with a five-run inning. Pastrana worked a walk and Zac Wilson followed with an RBI single. Cooper Phillips added an RBI single, and Devin Thrain drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in another run. Beckner lifted a sacrifice fly, and Hudson Schmitz added a sacrifice fly to cap the rally and cut the deficit to 7–5.
The Toppers added a run in the bottom of the fourth to extend the lead to 8–5.
The Firehawks chipped away in the seventh. Pastrana singled and later came around to score on a defensive miscue to make it 8–6. Tennessee Southern threatened to complete the comeback in its final at-bat, loading the bases and putting the go-ahead run on, but ultimately stranded three runners to end the game.
Wilson and Phillips each recorded two hits and an RBI to lead the offense in the finale. Pastrana scored twice and reached base twice, while Beckner and Schmitz each drove in a run. Thrain added an RBI and reached base multiple times.
Tennessee Southern returns to action Tuesday, March 24, hosting Bryan College.
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