Jackson, Tenn.- for the fifth year in a row, the Crusaders will play for an SSAC Tournament Championship tomorrow. They will face Loyola (New Orleans) tomorrow at 1:00. Carey defeated Middle Georgia State tonight 17-6 in a game shortened due to the ten-run rule.
 
The Crusaders got on the board first when leadoff man Rigoberto Hernandez scored on a bases loaded wild pitch. Carey was the beneficiary of two walks and an error. Middle Georgia got that run back and then some in the top of the second to take a 4-1 lead. An RBI double to right-center that caromed off the wall was the big blow in the inning. From there, it was all Crusaders.
 
Carey wasted no time in answering the four-run inning from the Knights. The Crusaders put up seven of their own in the bottom of the second inning. Three walks and RBI singles from Hernandez and Josh Alexander got the game back to even. After another Knight error and a sac fly from Eli Collins, Bridley Thomas dealt the biggest hit of the inning with a two RBI double to right field to put Carey up 8-4. After that the flood gates opened.
 
Carey tacked on three more in the 3^rd on another RBI single from Alexander. Deejay Booth scored on a wild pitch and Collins drove in another run to push the lead to 11-4. In the fourth inning, Brayden Coffey led the inning off with a hit by pitch and later scored on a passed ball.
 
The Crusaders put the game away for good in the bottom of the fifth inning. Carey executed a double steal after back-to-back walks to Collins and Tyler Ducksworth. Coffey walked to load the bases, and Ty Little followed with a fly ball down the left field line that the left fielder misplayed scoring one. After a pop out to third, Ducksworth scored on a balk to put Carey up 14-5. Booth followed with a dagger to right field that scored two more before the inning ended. Collins finished the onslaught for the evening in the bottom of the sixth with an opposite field home run to right. The Knights got single runs back in the fifth and the seventh, but Crusader pitchers Cory Cook and Mason Smith limited the damage enacting the ten-run-rule.
 
"We kind of started slow, but they made some mistakes, and we took advantage of it," said Head Coach Bobby Halford. "Cook did a good job of limiting them early. We are really pleased with the win, but of course we've got our work cut out for us tomorrow against a really good team. We'll come out and see what we can do."
 
Collins finished with two hits and three RBI for the evening and Alexander pitched in with two hits and two RBI. Carey drew twelve walks for the game. Cook went five innings on the mound allowing five runs on five hits. He punched out six. Smith worked the final two frames allowing one run on two hits and fanning three.
 
Carey will face familiar foe Loyola (New Orleans) tomorrow in a winner take all match up at Rockabilly Stadium. Loyola won the series a week ago, but Carey clinched the regular season championship in game two. The first pitch is set for 1:00.