Mata Powers Indians past Greyhounds
BILOXI–Jordan Mata drove in his fifth run of the game in the bottom of the sixth to lead the Biloxi Indians to a 6-5 victory over the Ocean Springs Greyhounds Tuesday in Biloxi.
The Indians raced to a 3-0 lead after the first inning. Cody Brown led off with a walk, and Jordan Mata hit a two run home run. Craig Wilson walked and scored on a double by Derek Whitfield.
Brandon Tash led off the top of the second with a single, and Tyler Giles reached base on an error. Both runners scored on a throwing error to make the score 3-2.
The Indians answered quickly when Mata hit his second home run of the night to push the Indian lead to 4-2. Mata also doubled in Brown in the fourth to give the Indians a 5-2 advantage.
An Ocean Springs lead off double by Cole Donaldson turned into a run when he scored on a passed ball. Sean Bartosik walked and scored on Giles’s triple, and Giles tied the game at 5-5 when he scored on an error in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, Nick Wheelock reached base on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mata to score the decisive run.
Hawtin Buchanan drew the start for Biloxi, and he pitched 5 1/3 innings, striking out seven. Mata picked up the victory in relief.
Biloxi skipper Kevin Burdine said Mata had a big hand in the team’s victory.
“Jordan had a great day at the plate, and he came in and got the job done on the mound,” said Burdine. “He had an excellent game.”
Tash took the loss for Ocean Springs. He lasted 5 1/3 innings and gave up six runs, five of which were earned. He struck out five.
Donaldson, Tash, and Giles all had one hit for the Greyhounds. Mata led the Indians at the plate.
The two teams meet again Friday in Ocean Springs at 7.
