By Jonathan Bym

The Robesonian

LUMBERTON, N.C. — A day of rest couldn’t cool off the Mississippi bats as they slammed Alabama 12-2 in four innings, leaving no undefeated teams left in the Majors division. 

With the win, Mississippi and Alabama face off again on Wednesday at 10 a.m. with a chance to play in the championship game later in the afternoon at stake. 

Dre Keyes jump-started the Mississippi offense, going 2-for-2 at the plate including a two-run single in the bottom of the first to take an early 4-0 lead. Kaden Bester scored in the first and joined Keyes by tying a team-high with two hits while chipping in an RBI. 

Mississippi pitchers Noah Westbrook and Brady Quinn helped the offensive charge with efficient work from the mound. 

They combined to allow just one earned run and three hits through four innings. 

Alabama’s hits came from Cam Heard, Jay Burns and Brock Bell. Burns had a triple and scored a run in the second inning, while Bell hit a single and scored in the third to cut the deficit to 7-2. 

Keyes singled again in the third inning, where he and four other teammates crossed the plate, to open the game. Tanner Horn, Andrew Jefcoat, Ty Blakeney and Trey Barnes each had one hit in the win. 

The winner of Wednesday morning’s rematch will face Virginia later that afternoon at 2 p.m. on Field 5.