AUSTIN, Texas – McMurry University's baseball team will have the opportunity to play for the American Southwest Conference championship – and the leagues automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs – thanks to its 6-4 win over Mississippi College in the semifinals of the ASC championship tournament.

The War Hawks improved to 23-23 overall in advancing through the elimination bracket to face host Concordia-Texas, which has yet to lose a game in the tourney. McM would have to defeat the Tornados twice in Sunday's showdown, beginning at 1 p.m. (with the “if necessary” game to follow ½ hour after the first game's completion).

McMurry took a 1-0 lead in its first at-bat when Connor Griffith had a ground out RBI to second that plated Andrew Bell.

That advantage was extended to 3-0 in the top of the third, thanks to an RBI single by Matt Thompson  and an RBI credited to Kory Moench on a fielder's choice.

The Choctaws got one back in the bottom of the third, and McMurry added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to lead 5-1.

McM starter Caleb Gonzales – who had cruised through the first five frames allowing just three hits – began to labor in the sixth. Gonzales walked the leadoff man, then gave up three successive singles that made it 5-3.

War Hawks' head coach John Byington then brought in reliever Deen Coleman. Coleman struck out two MC players and got some help from his defense that threw out a runner at the plate on a grounder to first.

McM senior second baseman Marcellous Biggins drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh, but Mississippi College got it back with an unearned run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 6-4.

McMurry had a chance to really break it open in the eighth, but left bases loaded. The Choctaws got a runner in scoring position and the potential tying run to the plate with two out in the bottom of the ninth. But Coleman induced a pop out to second base that sent his team into championship Sunday.

McMurry out-hit Mississippi College by a 15-8 margin. Thompson led a contingent of six War Hawks with multiple hits, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and one RBI.

Dylan De Leon, Bell, Bradd Baker, Biggins and Brian Durst all collected two hits, apiece. Bell and Baker each scored twice, as well.

Gonzales got the win to improve to 4-4 on the year. Coleman registered his first save of the year, allowing two hits and striking out four.