TAMPA --- Mississippi College Choctaws is set to return to the NCAA postseason spotlight, opening play in the 2025 NCAA Division II Baseball South I Regional on Thursday, May 15, at the University of Tampa. The fourth-seeded Choctaws will face off against Sunshine State Conference runner-up Lynn University in what marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
Mississippi College (33–21) earned its regional berth following a strong campaign in the competitive Gulf South Conference and a gritty showing in the GSC Tournament that included elimination wins over nationally ranked Delta State and Valdosta State. The Choctaws arrive in Tampa boasting the program's fifth-highest single-season win total and their second NCAA regional appearance in its Division II era.
 
Head coach Jeremy Haworth's squad enters with momentum and power. The Choctaws shattered their single-season home run record with 63 long balls, surpassing marks set in 1984 and 2006. Leading the charge is All-GSC slugger JT Vance, who's crushed 14 homers this season while driving in 58 runs. Bryce LaRocca (13 HR), Jordan Evans (12), and Korey Cooper (12) provide additional firepower in a balanced, relentless lineup.
 
Mississippi College boasts a solid pitching staff headlined by senior right-hander Holland Townes. Townes leads the staff with 82 strikeouts — third-most in the GSC — and has been a consistent presence atop the rotation with 81.2 innings of work this season.
 
Complementing the Magnolia State standout in the rotation is junior right-hander Caleb Peterson, a transfer from Middle Tennessee. Peterson has been a reliable starter throughout the season. Over 14 starts, he has compiled a 5–4 record with a 4.39 ERA, striking out 66 batters over 67.2 innings. Notably, in a pivotal GSC Tournament game against Delta State on May 4, Peterson delivered a strong performance, pitching six innings and allowing three earned runs to secure the win.
 
Lynn University, meanwhile, represents a dangerous challenge out of the Sunshine State Conference. The Fighting Knights (30–16) boast a .305 team batting average and a potent .471 slugging percentage. Thursday's matchup will be the Choctaws' first against Lynn and their 13th overall against SSC opponents (MC is 4–8 all-time vs. the SSC).
 
With regional play operating under a double-elimination format with the winner of the South I Regional will advance to next weekend's South Super Regionals for a shot at the NCAA Division II College World Series in Cary, North Carolina.
 
First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT from Tampa, with live coverage provided via MC Athletics.