HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The University of West Alabama baseball made it a 3-2 deficit in the sixth inning against William Carey University, but a five-run bottom half was the deciding factor in an 8-3 loss for the Tigers on Tuesday evening from Milton Wheeler Field.

UWA falls to 14-17 on the year, while WCU, who is receiving votes in the latest NAIA poll, improves to 19-10. 

Carey got on the board first with a two-run homer that started with a leadoff free pass. 

In the third, the Crusaders used a walk and three straight hit by pitches to extend the lead to 3-0. However, Graham Holland was able to get out of it thanks to his defense with a 5-4-3 double play. 

UWA had a golden opportunity to scratch across its first run of the game in the fourth after Cade Horton reached on a fielding error and a two-out single by Blake Vineyard, but a strikeout kept the runners on base. 

In the sixth, the Tigers made it a 3-2 game after back-to-back hits by Kyle Vogler and Horton to put runners at the corners, Jacob Messina laid down a perfect suicide squeeze bunt RBI to get Vogler home and UWA on the board. 

Brayden Pelkey responded with a RBI double into the gap to make it a one-run deficit with one out. However, WCU settled down after going into the bullpen and retired the final two batters. 

From there, the momentum went back to William Carey, as in the bottom of the sixth saw five runs come across the plate, capped by a two-run home run to start the rally. 

The Tigers added a run in the seventh on a bases loaded walk by Messina. 

Cade Horton had a 3-for-5 day and a run scored, while Blake Vineyard posted two hits in four at bats with a double. 

Jacob Messina drove in two runs in the contest. 

Seven of the nine WCU players had a hit in the game, led by Bailee Hendon's three RBIs. 

West Alabama will return home for a five-game home stand, starting with a three-game series with Mississippi College. First pitch is scheduled for Friday at 5 p.m. from Tartt Field.