The Southwest Mississippi Community College baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with visiting St. Charles (Mo.) Community College, winning the opener 13-3 before falling 14-4 in the nightcap. Southwest now stands at 10-6 on the season.
Southwest took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of game one when third baseman Scoot McDaniel blasted a solo home run over the left field fence.
After falling behind 2-1 in the top of the second, the Bears added two more runs in the bottom of the frame on a double by Thomas Daughdrill.
The Cougars scored their final run of the game in the top of the third to tie it at 3 before Southwest regained the advantage for good in the bottom of the inning on RBI doubles by Laramie Pittman and Rob Thames.
Southwest added four more runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth, a combination of hits and St. Charles errors allowed Derek Morgan, Kyle Wheeler, McDaniel and Pittman to cross the plate. Doubles by Simon and Pittman, a Thames single and a sacrifice fly by Wheeler gave the Bears their final runs.
Justin Franciskato picked up the win for Southwest. He allowed all three runs while giving up five hits and two walks. Tommy Braddock gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two to pick up the save.
Thames led the Southwest offense with two singles, a double and three runs batted in. McDaniel added a single to go with his home run, while Pittman had two doubles and Bouldin had a triple.
