MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Birmingham-Southern baseball team opened the 2010 season down Interstate 65 in Montgomery with a pair of non-conference games. They split the day, falling 5-4 to Mississippi College before taking host Huntingdon College 16-4 in the night cap.
BSC vs. Mississippi College
The Panthers (0-1) scored two runs in the top of the ninth, but were unable to complete the comeback, falling 5-4 to the Mississippi College Choctaws (2-0).
MC struck first in the bottom of the first as Panther hurler Clay Malcolm gave up two hits in the inning to put the Choctaws on the board. Unfortunately for the Panther southpaw, the game exploded in the bottom of the fourth. MC busted out with four hits and three runs in the inning to take the 4-0 advantage.
A single in the top of the fifth by J.D. Hulse scored Jacob Plagens to put the Panthers on the scoreboard. BSC shaved another run off the lead in the sixth off a sacrifice fly from Josh Whitaker, scoring Brandon Ricco.
Another Choctaw run in the seventh pushed the MC lead to 5-2 before the Panthers’ comeback fell short in the top of the ninth.
Malcolm (0-1) took the loss for the Panthers in three innings.
BSC vs. Huntingdon College
The Panthers (1-1) took out their frustration with the opening loss on the Hawks (0-2), defeating Huntingdon 16-4 in game two.
‘Southern’s offense scored in every inning but the first, third, and eighth. They piled up seven in the top of the ninth alone to put away the in-state rival.
J.D. Hulse drove in four in four at-bats, including a solo home run to right center in the seventh. But his two in the fourth sparked the BSC offense to break the game open. With Jon Walker and Josh Whitaker on base, the junior from Roswell, Ga. doubled to left to drive in the go-ahead runs, 4-2. Drew Leachman sent Hulse across the plate on the next at-bat and scored himself before the inning concluded giving BSC a lead they would not relinquish.
Michael McCalib got the win in relief in four innings pitched, improving his record to 1-0 on the young season.
The Panthers will remain on the road next weekend. They will travel up to Maryville, Tenn. on Saturday for a 11:00 a.m. double-header with the Maryville Scots before completing the three-game series on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
‘Southern will host Martin Methodist on February 22 for their home opener at 3:00 p.m. at Striplin Field.