BLUE MOUNTAIN, Miss. – GAME 1 – No. 12 William Carey swept a pair of SSAC games from Blue Mountain here Saturday, securing the series before Game 3 Sunday.
The mighty Carey offense showed why they're one of the best in the nation in Game 1, winning 17-10 by banging out 15 hits.
The Toppers didn't help themselves, as they would commit seven errors in the field.
The Crusaders would get to Topper starter Josh Smith early, scoring seven earned runs on six hits in the first two innings, including a three-run homer by Brady Logan.
The Toppers jumped back into it in the third when Hayden Arant blasted a two-run homer to center off Carey starter Andrew Shirah.  The Toppers would get five earned runs on six hits to chase Shirah after 2.2 innings of work.
Bryland Skinner would tie it up at 8-8 later in the third on a two-run triple down the right field line.
With Carey up 9-8 in the fifth, BMCU's Zack Koon drilled an RBI single through the right side to tie the game, but the Crusaders would answer with a two-run homer by Bailee Hendon against reliever Jake Reeder.
Arant would deliver an RBI single in the sixth, but Carey turned it on in the seventh, scoring four runs capped by an RBI double by R.J. Stinson.
Reeder (2-2) dropped the decision for Blue Mountain, going 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits with three Ks.
Arant finished with two hits and three RBI, while Reiley Tate had two hits and two runs scored.  Koon added two hits in the loss also for the Toppers.
 
GAME 2
Blue Mountain never got going in the nightcap, as the Crusaders would win 10-0 in a seven-inning mercy rule game.
The Carey offense was relentless starting in the second inning against Topper starter Jesse Hancock.
Five runs crossed in the frame for the Crusaders, highlighted by a solo homer from Bobby Lada and a two-run homer by Billy Garrity.
Three more came across for Carey in the fourth thanks to an error from the Topper defense and an RBI double by R.J. Stinson.
Carey iced the game in the fifth when Kris Jones blasted a two-run homer against Topper reliever Taylor Sipes.
A.J. Stinson was virtually unhittable for William Carey, as the righty tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout with seven Ks.
Alex Frillman and Easton Rainer had Blue Mountain's two hits in the loss.
The Topper defense shot themselves in the foot again in the second game, committing four errors, giving them 11 on the day.
BMCU (23-23, 6-17 SSAC) will host William Carey Sunday at 2 p.m. to conclude the series at Topper Field.
 
 
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