HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Cory Cook's no-hitter highlighted a double header sweep over John Melvin University, Tuesday night at Milton Wheeler Field.
 
Head Coach Bobby Halford said, "I thought we got off to a quick start with Ratliff hitting the homerun, but then we ran into some trouble in the fourth which allowed them to take the lead. We then responded well and got our offense going in the first game with Alik Avila providing solid pitching in relief."
 
"The second game was all Cory Cook with the no hitter," said Halford. "He has been making a lot of progress lately and was really dialed in tonight. "We parlayed enough walks, hit by pitches, and stolen bases to jump out to a five-run lead.
 
In game one, offense was the star of the show, as the Crusaders blew past the Millers 17-4. Carey scored early with two runs in the first inning on a Preston Ratliff home run. The lead would not last long though, as JMU took a 4-2 lead in the third on a three-run homerun followed by a solo homerun.
 
WCU managed to get one run back in the bottom half of the inning with Tyler Ducksworth's single to left, scoring Eli Collins. Carey blew the game wide open in the fourth and fifth inning, plating ten runs on six hits.
 
In the fourth, after a lead off walk by Jerod Williams, Rigoberto Hernandez ripped a triple down the rightfield line for the first run of the frame. Bridley Thomas followed Hernandez with a two homer to left to put the Crusaders back in front. Later in the inning, Ducksworth picked up his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-4 WCU with the final run coming on a defensive miscue by the Millers.
 
Ducksworth started the scoring in the fifth with a bases loaded walk with Jayden Mark following, scoring Collins to make it 10-4 Carey. Josh Alexander added to the run total on a single to center with Hernandaz and Thomas scoring the last two runs.
 
The Crusaders finished things off in the sixth inning with four runs on three hits, with Alexander driving in three of the runs on a three-run home run to right field.
 
Despite only having five hits in game two, the Crusaders made the most of their opportunities. WCU again wasted no time in taking the lead with two runs in the first inning. A throwing error by JMU led to the first run with a sacrifice fly by Ducksworth driving in the second run.
 
Carey added to their lead in the second with a wild pitch scoring Williams and DeeJay Booth making it 4-0 with a single to right. The Crusaders added their final run of the game in the third on an Alexander double down the right field line.
 
The five runs were more than enough support for starting pitcher Cory Cook who stole the show, throwing a no-hitter while striking out a career-high 14 batters.
 
"I thought I did well," said Cook. "I was trying a lot more to get on top of the hitters, cause in the Fall I was getting behind and not dominating the strike zone. But today, I was trying to get ahead early in the at bats with first pitch strikes. It was a lot, and I didn't even notice until the sixth inning and then I was really trying to bear down and get through the final innings. I was just doing whatever I could to help us get the win."
 
Carey is back in action Friday, February 28, as they head to Pulaski, Tenn. for a conference series against UT-Southern. Play is set to begin at 4:00 pm.