Crowley, LA - John Melvin University celebrated their 2024 senior class with a ceremony before the game with their families and finished off Senior Day with a 16-3 victory in 7 innings over Southwest Mississippi CC. Seniors Kole Sonnier and Trystin Gilbert both reached base safely and scored runs in the victory. Kole Sonnier walked and was hit by a pitch, scoring a run. Trystin Gilbert reached base with a single, 2 walks, and scored a run.
The Millers offense came out hot looking for the big Senior Day win; scoring 5 runs in the 1st and 4 runs in the 2nd inning to jump out to a commanding 9-0 lead after 2 innings. They would add on 6 more runs in the 5th inning and 1 more in the 7th to finish off an explosive 16-run day. It took just 3 batters for the Millers to get on the board in the 1st inning. Connor Pleasant singled on the first pitch of the game, Kole Sonnier walked on 4 pitches, and Trevor Durr singled to left field to score Pleasant and get on the board. Kade Massey followed that up with a single and Dylan Jimenez doubled in Sonnier and Durr before the Millers got their first out of the inning; an RBI ground out from Andrew Ashby. Noah Watkins added another on in the first with a sacrifice fly to score Jimenez.
The 5th inning was a masterclass in Quality AB's for the Millers offense. Dylan Jimenez led off the inning with a walk, Andrew Ashby followed that up with another walk, Gavin Dohmann doubled in Gavin Gary, Trystin Gilbert walked, Dohmann scored on a wild pitch, Connor Pleasant walked, Kole Sonnier was hit by a pitch, Trevor Durr walked to score Gilbert, Gavin Gary walked to score Pleasant, and Tyler Knippers was hit by a pitch to score Taylor Walters to finish off the 6-run inning.
7 different Millers picked up a hit in the game. Andrew Ashby led the way in RBI's with 3; while Trevor Durr, Dylan Jimenez, and Gavin Dohmann all picked up 2. Connor Pleasant scored 3 big runs in the game with Trevor Durr, Kade Massey, Gavin Dohmann, and Trystin Gilbert each scoring 2 runs of their own.
Peyton Ford got the Senior Day start and was masterful on the way to the Millers victory. Ford threw 6 strong innings, striking out 5 Southwest Mississippi batters and allowing just 2 earned runs on the way to his 3rd win of the season. Dane Mallon entered the game in the 7th innings to wrap things up and threw a clean inning, striking out 1 batter before getting a fly ball to Tyler Knippers in right field to finish off the JMU Senior Day victory.
2B: Dylan Jimenez (5), Gavin Dohmann (2)
HBP: Kade Massey (11), Kole Sonnier (9), Shilon Christmas (4), Tyler Knippers (2)
SF: Noah Watkins
SB: Connor Pleasant (19), Noah Watkins (13), Trystin Gilbert (2)
Win: Peyton Ford (3-2)
