Big innings lift Huntingdon over Millsaps

JACKSON, Miss. – The Huntingdon baseball team used three big innings to overpower Millsaps 11-2 on Saturday in the Millsaps College Tournament.

The Hawks (4-1) scored three runs in the first inning, four runs in the sixth inning and four runs in the eighth inning. Huntingdon accounted for nine of its 11 hits in those three innings.

Defensively, despite committing five errors in the game, the Hawks held the Majors (2-3) to one unearned run in the third inning and one unearned run in the sixth inning.

This was Huntingdon's second win of the season against the Majors. Huntingdon won the first meeting 6-1 on Feb. 7 at Posey Field.

The Hawks took advantage of a pair of Millsaps errors in the first inning to get the scoring started. Senior center fielder Patrick Kucera scored the first run of the game on an error before Cody Shoemaker singled to score Alec Raley. Freshman Jay Jordan drew a bases-loaded walk to score Shoemaker to make it 3-0.

The Hawks made it a 7-1 game in the top of the sixth with a solo home run by Mason Throneberry, a RBI double by Kucera and a two-run double by Anthony Spivey. The Hawks closed the scoring in the eighth with a sacrifice fly by Spivey and RBI singles from Shoemaker, Throneberry and Jordan.

Throneberry finished 3-for-5 with the home run, two RBIs and a run. Shoemaker was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs and Kucera was 2-for-3 with three runs and a RBI. Spivey drove in three runs, Jordan drove in two runs, Raley scored three times and Sessions scored twice.

Junior Zach McGrady (2-0) picked up the win in six innings, striking out five, walking two and allowing four hits. Kucera pitched two innings of relief and Matt Gatewood closed out the game with two strikeouts in the ninth inning.

Huntingdon will wrap up the Millsaps Tournament on Sunday against the University of the Ozarks. Game time is set for noon.