HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The William Carey Baseball Team got their 2025 season underway in grand fashion with a 13-3 run rule victory over the University of Pikeville Friday afternoon at Milton Wheeler Field.
 
"I was pleased with the way we responded against a crafty lefthander who had us off balance early," said Head Coach Bobby Halford. "I thought Shirah was really good and was impressed with our defense, especially Bridley Thomas. Happy to see Eli Collins really hitting the ground running with a big night at the plate. Real team effort."
 
Pitching was the early star of the game, as each pitcher allowed just one hit over the first three innings. After giving up a leadoff double in the first inning. Carey starting pitcher Andrew Shirah retired the next three batters to escape the inning unharmed. Pikeville starting pitcher Riley Paulino followed suit in the bottom of the first working around a two out single.
 
It was not until the fourth inning that the offense stole the show, as the Crusaders broke the game wide open, plating eight runs on six hits. After a leadoff walk by Bridley Thomas, Eli Collins belted a two-run homerun over the leftfield fence for the first runs of the inning.
 
Three batters later and runners on second and third, Tyler Ducksworth ripped a triple down the rightfield line to make it 4-0 Carey with Rigoberto Hernandez scoring Ducksworth with a single to center. After Jason Alexander advanced the runners, Bridley Thomas scored Hernandez and Brady Logan with the second triple of the inning. Thomas was the last Crusader to cross the plate in the inning, scoring on a Collins single to left.
 
The Bears managed a run in the fifth inning, but WCU countered in the bottom half with four runs. A one out bases loaded walk by Hernandez plated the first run of the inning with Alexander making it 10-1 WCU with a single to right. Thomas picked up his third RBI of the game on a hit by pitch with Collins bringing in the final run on a sac fly.
 
Pikeville cut the deficit to single digits in the sixth with two runs on a double to left center. However, the Crusaders finished things off in the seventh, as Collins capped his stellar day at the plate with an RBI single to right for the run rule victory.
 
Eli Collins led the offense, going 4 for 4 with five RBIs with Bridley Thomas finishing 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Shirah picked up the win on the mound going six innings allowing three runs on four hits.
 
Carey is back in action tomorrow, as they continue the series with Pikeville. The first pitch of the double header is set for 1:00 pm at Milton Wheeler Field.