April 8, 2008

JACKSON – Senior Hunter Abrams went 4-for-4 from the plate to move into third all-time on Millsaps' career hit list with 216 and with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, fellow senior Quinn Salmon launched a walk-off, grand slam over the 20-foot rightfield wall as the Majors rallied for a 13-10 come-from-behind win on Tuesday night.

Millsaps (22-12) entered the bottom of the ninth 0-9 on the season when trailing after eight innings, but received a leadoff single from Hunter Owen up the middle, followed by a walk to Tony Malaschak and a single from Jeremy Aliff that loaded the bases with no outs and eventually helped the Majors come away with the victory.

In what was scheduled as the final home game of the 2008 slate, Millsaps hit two homers in the game - both grand slams - that led to eight runs, as Russ Boyd delivered a grand slam shot over the "Green Monster" in left in the second inning to compliment Salmon that put the Majors up 7-3 after Louisiana College rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the top half.

Neither team had trouble finding their offense in a 2-hour and 48-minute, non-conference affair, with the Wildcats out-hitting the Majors by one 14-13 but Millsaps getting the three clutch hits late from Owen, Aliff and Salmon.

Millsaps took a 9-3 lead over the first four innings with two in the first, five in the second and single runs in the third and fourth before the 'Cats came storming back with seven runs over the final three innings to take a 10-9 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

A leadoff single from Anthony Benoit and a single from Jon Michael Kidd put the go-ahead run on base for LC with the game tied at 9-9 in the ninth, as Andrew Shelton delivered a shot down the leftfield line to score Chris Magee for the brief, 1-run lead before the Majors scored four in the bottom half.

LC brought nine different pitchers to the hill in preparations of an upcoming American Southwest Conference series at 7th-ranked UT-Tyler, with freshman Greg Uzee drawing the loss after surrendering the grand slam in 1/3 innings pitched. An everyday infielder, Abrams grabbed the win for Millsaps after tossing the final 2/3 of the ninth in relief of Andrew Fleming, giving up just one hit and striking out two to earn his third career win.

Millsaps will hit the road for its final SCAC series of the regular-season, traveling to San Antonio April 11-13 to face off with the West-leading Tigers of Trinity University who sit at 10-2 in league play with a 24-8 overall record.