CLEVELAND, Miss. –  The University of North Alabama dropped its opening game in pool play at the 2018 Gulf South Conference Tournament, falling 8-4 to Mississippi College at Ferriss Field.
 
The Lions, 31-18, fell behind 5-0 through four innings before they could mount any offense against Mississippi College starter Chris Crosby. UNA cut the MC lead to two runs in the seventh but left the potential tying runs in scoring position. The Choctaws then added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
 
Tyler Joyner (8-5) took the loss for Lions, allowing eight runs on nine hits over eight innings. He struckout six batters while throwing his sixth complete game of the season. Crosby (6-4) got the win for the Choctaws, allowing four runs on four hits over seven innings.
 
The bottom portion of UNA's lineup provided all of the offense for the Lions as the top four hitters were a combined 0-for-16 in the game.
 
Mississippi College took a lead in the bottom of the first inning as Kyle Smith got a leadoff double and scored on an RBI-single by Blaine Crim.
 
The Choctaws added to their lead in the fourth inning when Billy Cameron and Hunter Wilson got back-to-back singles and Luke Yancey followed with a run-scoring double to make it 2-0. Brandon Broussard then gave MC its fourth straight hit when he singled up the middle to drive in two runs and make it 4-0. Broussard would later score on a sacrifice fly by Ty Alderman to extend the lead to 5-0.
 
UNA was held hitless until the top of the fifth inning when Tate Mathis reached on a bunt single. Davis Elliott then walked and the two runners moved up into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Peyton Sockwell. Ben Cooley delivered a two-out, two-run double to cut the MC lead to 5-2.
 
The Choctaws got a run back in the bottom of the fifth as Grant Barber doubled, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Crim to make it 6-2.
 
In the top of the seventh, Elliott hit a solo home run to close the gap to 6-3 and Sockwell then reached on an error and eventually scored on an RBI-single from Cooley to make it 6-4. UNA left two runners in scoring position in the frame.
 
North Alabama will continue pool play on Monday with a 5 p.m. contest against Delta State. UNA will then play West Alabama on Tuesday at a time to be determined. The top teams in each pool will then advance to the championship game on Wednesday.