CLINTON, Miss.- The Union University baseball team won their first conference series of the year Friday afternoon at Mississippi College by the score of 9-8. Union improved to 2-9 overall and 2-4 in Gulf South Conference play. The Choctaws fell to 7-4 overall and 3-3 in conference.
 
After playing 23 innings Thursday afternoon, Union managed to get on the board in the first inning of play Friday afternoon. Austin Orr and Trae Bain got things going for the Bulldogs with back-to-back singles. Jim Martin then lifted a fly ball to center field that scored Orr from third.
 
Union added to their lead in the top of the third inning after a leadoff walk from Shane Wilder and two singles from Caleb Warnimont and Orr loaded the bases with no outs. Bain and Martin both grounded out to third to score Wilder and Caleb Warnimont. Chaz Wilson then homered to left center for his second homerun of the year and set the Union lead at 5-0.
                                                                            
Mississippi College finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning when Hunter Bolin scored on a fielder's choice and Colton Caver scored on a sacrifice fly to cut the Union lead to 5-2 after six innings.    
 
Union answered the Choctaw rally in the next frame after three singles from Bain, Martin and Chaz Wilson loaded the bases with pinch hitter Andrew Coy up to the plate. Coy rolled one to the shortstop but the throw did not hit its mark that allowed Bain to score. Another error by the Choctaw defense allowed Martin and Chaz Wilson to score. Union tacked another run on the board in the eighth off an RBI double from Martin that scored Orr to set the score at 9-2.
 
Mississippi College got back into the ball game with a three-run bottom of the eighth including a two-run home run of the bat of Caleb Upton. Then after two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, Akiko Thompson reached base safely with a single and scored off of a double from Bolin after stealing second. Then two Union errors allowed the Choctaws to cut the lead to one with the tying runner on second. Preston Thompson then struck out Marty Stringfellow and secured the series win for the Bulldogs.
 
Thompson relieved the starting pitcher, Teddy Christie, in the eighth inning following the homerun from Upton and threw two innings giving up three runs, one earned, on three hits. Christie started the game without giving up a hit until the fifth inning. He finished the day going seven innings giving up five runs on seven hits while striking out five to earn his first win of the year.
 
At the plate, Orr led the Bulldogs going 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Martin also recorded three hits on the day including a double and batted in three runs while Chaz Wilson finished the day 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI's.
 
Kyle Cumlander started on the mound for the Choctaws and went three innings giving up five runs on five hits earning the loss. Jake Fraze came into the game in the fourth giving up one earned run on eight hits in four innings of work. Fraze also picked off two Union runners in the game.
Bolin and Caver led the Choctaws at the plate, both going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI's.
 
Union travels to Arkansas-Monticello on Tuesday, February 24^th, for a non-conference game at 2:00 p.m. before continuing conference play next weekend at Shorter.
 
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