Blue Mountain, Miss. – No. 9 William Carey dropped both games of a Saturday doubleheader against Blue Mountain Christian, falling 12-11 in extra innings in game one and 16-4 in game two.
 
The first game started just like the Friday night game except it was the Toppers that would take an early 5-3 lead after one inning of play. Carey wasted no time getting on the board, as Rigoberto Hernandez led off the inning with a walk and would come around to score on a DeeJay Booth double down the right field line.
 
Two batters later, Preston Ratliff made it 2-0 WCU on an RBI single to left with Eli Collins making a three-run lead with a solo homerun to left. BMCU started with back-to-back walks followed by a double to center field to push across their first run in the bottom of the first.
 
After two quick outs another free pass followed by a two RBI double and a two RBI single put Blue Mountain ahead and they would extend their lead to six with four runs in the second. The Crusaders though answered in the top of the third with six runs on six hits to tie the game.
 
Tyler Ducksworth got things going, scoring Collins on a single to center with Cam Trosclair putting Carey within two with a three-run shot to center field. Just like in the first inning, Hernandez drew a walk with Booth this time driving him home with a triple to right center. Josh Alexander followed with a single to right, scoring Booth to tie the game.
 
BMCU though would retake the lead with a run in the fourth. The Crusaders answered with a run in the fifth on a solo shot by Trosclair only to see the Toppers again take the lead with a run in the bottom half of the fifth.
 
Down to their final out and with a runner on second base, Alexander delivered for Carey, driving in Hernandez on a single to right to tie the game. In extra innings, Carey was the first to threaten in the ninth inning, getting runners to second and third with one out but the Toppers worked out jam to keep the game tied. BMCU followed suit in the bottom half and with runners on the corners with two outs a single to left would seal the win for the Toppers.
 
Game two saw a little break from the first inning offense from the previous two games but in the third inning, the teams combined for seven runs. A one out solo homerun by Hernadez broke the deadlock and after a defensive miscue allowed Booth to advance to third, Ratliff made to 2-0 WCU with a single to right.
 
Two batters later, Jayden Mark made it a three-run advantage on an RBI single to left. Blue Mountain countered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning and added to their lead with three runs in the fourth.
 
Carey would get two runs back in fifth on RBIs by Ratliff and Ducksworth, but BMCU answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 10-5 lead. WCU would add a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Alexander, but the Toppers would put the game away for good with four runs in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin.
 
Carey is back in action on Thursday, April 24, as they wrap up the regular season against Loyola University. Play is set to begin at 5:00 pm at Milton Wheeler Field.