Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLINTON, Miss. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) baseball team split a non-conference road doubleheader at the Mississippi College (MC) Choctaws on Tuesday at Frierson Field, dropping the opener 5-4, but rebounding to take the nightcap 8-2.

The Badgers took a 1-0 lead over the Choctaws (11-21) in the 2nd inning of the first game when senior second baseman Mason Hutson drove a single through the left of the infield to bring in junior catcher Alex Jones from 2nd base.

MC answered with a two-out, three-run home run to centerfield by right fielder Colton Caver in the bottom of the 3rd inning off Badger starter junior right-hander Hunter Nowak.

Jones made it a 3-2 game in the 5th inning by drawing a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to force in junior first baseman William Floros, but a 3rd-to-home-to-1st double play ended the Badger threat in the frame. Choctaw designated hitter Toler Robinson got that run back in the bottom of the inning, however, with a run-scoring double to left-centerfield, but Nowak avoided further damage by closing the inning on a strikeout with the bases loaded.

In the 7th inning, the Badgers put the first two batters on base via hit-by-pitches forcing the Choctaws to go to their bullpen for reliever Tyler Scholl. Jones once again came through for the Badgers by driving a two-run double to right-centerfield to tie the game at 4-4.

Choctaw shortstop Hunter Hall provided the game-winner in the bottom of the 7th frame when his single to shortstop was compounded by a wild throw that brought in Caver from 2nd base for the 5-4 final verdict.

Andrew Pierson (0-2) took the loss in relief for SHC allowing two hits while the six-inning no-decision went to Nowak with eight hits allowed, three walks and four strikeouts. Scholl (1-3) picked up the win in one full inning of work and Kyle Cumlander went six innings with seven hits, two walks and six strikeouts.

Spring Hill leaped out of the gate in the second game with a four-run 1st inning off four Badger singles sandwiched around an infield throwing error by MC.

The Choctaws made it 4-1 in the 3rd inning, but senior reserve catcher Roy Moulder rebuilt a 5-1 advantage for the Badgers with an RBI-single to center in the top of the 5th inning. Moulder would then make it 6-1 with another run-scoring single to center in the 7th frame and shortstop Thomas Smith brought in a seventh run off a bases-loaded walk just two batters later. Floros tacked on run Number 8 with a single to left-center before a double play ended the SHC outburst.

Christian Bahlinger improved to 3-0 on the year in his six-inning performance that included seven hits surrendered with one walk and four opponents struck out. Wesley Wilkinson fell to 1-1 in one inning of work with four hits allowed, two walks and no strikeouts.

The Badgers (21-10, 11-0 SIAC) next play on Friday at the LeMoyne-Owen College Magicians (4-14, 4-4 SIAC) in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. in Memphis, Tenn.