CLINTON, Miss. - The LeTourneau YellowJacket baseball team returned to the diamond on Friday evening as they battled the Mississippi College Choctaws at Frierson Field in Clinton, Miss. The Jackets pounded out 10 hits, but could only score two runs as they fell to the Choctaws 7-2.

Mississippi College (7-11, 1-3 ASC) was able to string together a series of hits and with the help of an early error, took a 2-0 lead after one complete. LeTourneau (10-6, 1-3 ASC) got some hits together in the second and got a RBI single from junior Dustin Varnado to cut the deficit in half.

Again, the Choctaws got a run in the second and another one in the third to extend their lead to 4-1.

Junior Curt Copeland seemed to settle in, pitching two straight scoreless innings, putting the Choctaws down in order. LeTourneau got another run back in the sixth, but hit into a double play in the process to end the threat of a possible big inning.

Mississippi College put the game out of reach in the bottom half of the sixth, scoring three runs on five hits to go up 7-2. From there, MC was able to limit LeTourneau's hits and hold off any rally to take the win.

It was one of the first games Copeland struggled, giving up seven runs on 14 hits throughout eight innings. He falls to 4-1 on the season.

Offensively, all but one Jacket did have a hit with Varnado leading the way, going 2-for-3 with a RBI while junior Garrett Methvin added a 2-for-4 day. 

The Jackets will come back tomorrow afternoon as they will go into a doubleheader with the Choctaws. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. with the second game set to follow 30 minutes after the completion of game one.