Baseball Completes Sweep of Point University JV

Marion, Al. - Both games against the Point University JV squad started on shaky ground for the MMI Tigers with the visitors taking early leads off defensive miscues.  Luckily for Marion, the home team was able to rebound and earn two more wins, and a sweep of the SkyHawks.

Game One - Sophomore J.P. Ratliff earned the start in game one but fell behind early after several defensive miscues from the Marion infield.  The ShyHawks plated two runs in the first inning and two more in the second inning.  MMI scored once in the second inning when sophomore Jonah Todd drove in freshman Mason Gilliland.  The visitors built the lead to four runs after the third inning. 

Gilliland got the Tigers' rally started in the fourth inning with a base hit up the middle.  James Mills reached on an error and Todd walked to load the bases.  Zachary Neumann walked to bring Gilliland in, and Logan Nix was hit by a pitch at the next at-bat to plate the second run of the inning.  A deep fly ball to centerfield by Carson McGregory scored Todd and moved Neumann to third base.  A wild pitch scored Neumann and tied the game at five runs apiece.  Marion pulled ahead in the fifth inning after Logan Taylor hit a double down the third base line, and was moved to third on a wild pitch.  Mills scored Taylor with a fly ball to center field.  The Tigers tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning to take the 8-5 victory.

Also seeing action on the mound for the Tigers were freshmen Brett Lightsey, Hunter Orr, and Alex Weeks.

Game Two - Game two started in similar fashion to game one with the SkyHawks taking advantage of errors, and took a one run lead that held through the third inning.  Point University added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning off sophomore Jesse Wheeler, who came in to relieve Marion's starter, sophomore Dalton Pollard.  Down 0-3, Marion's Mason Gillilan tied the game with one swing, hitting a three-run homerun to left field.  Crossing the plate with Gilliland were McGregory and Kent Jenkins.  The Tigers added another run in the fifth inning when Derrik Turner earned a base on balls, was moved to second by Jonah Todd and took third, and eventually home, on wild pitches.  They tacked on two more in the sixth inning to take the 6-3 victory. 

Sophomore Chad Robinson pitched two scoreless innings in relief while sophomore Jackson Cofer shutdown the SkyHawks in the seventh inning to secure the Tigers' ninth win of the season.

MMI will host SE Illinois both Friday and Saturday in back-to-back doubleheaders.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. both days at the Scott G. Davis Stadium.