lights, please

Tournament play is back in the spotlight this weekend. Raise the curtain. Attention stage west: Mississippi College, which has made the American Southwest Conference postseason for 11 straight years, takes on Hardin-Simmons (not Concordia-Texas, as previously announced) in the best-of-3 opening round series. Game 1 is tonight at 6 in Abilene, Texas. Getting past HSU and into the four-team tournament proper could be a tall task for MC (22-16), which goes in as the 4-seed from the East Division. HSU (28-11) won the West. The Choctaws were nationally ranked in Division III in preseason but wobbled out of the gate as coach Brian Owens worked to get his pitching staff in order. Three starters emerged to have respectable years: Ryan Glover (2-3, 3.50 ERA), Ian Underwood (4-1, 3.72) and Bo Craig (4-1, 3.90). Carrying the load for MC much of the time was the Bashers Three: Spencer Brunson (.416), Brandon Benton (.372) and Stuart Magee (.361), each of whom hit nine home runs. Shane Bennett wasn’t far behind with six homers. MC last won the ASC Tournament in 2003. Now, attention stage east: Belhaven and William Carey begin play today in an eight-team Southern States Athletic Conference Tournament that features six teams ranked in the NAIA poll. Carey (26-23) meets No. 4 Lee (29-5) at 9 a.m. and No. 22 Belhaven (39-15) plays No. 16 Brewton-Parker (32-14) at 3 p.m. in Columbus, Ga. Carey scrambled late just to get into the SSAC event. The Crusaders’ top pitchers are Scotty Reese (4-5, 3.24) and Taylor Martin (3-2, 3.47). Javier Ortiz (.355) and Carlos Castro (.348) are the leading hitters, while Quin Stokes provides pop (10 homers). Belhaven, which reached the NAIA World Series in 2010, might just have the weapons for another run. Ace Brett Blaise is 7-1 with a 3.49 ERA and Allen Johnson 4-4 with a 2.24. They’ve also got six-game winner Alan McHenry and All-SSAC closer Josh Clarke (three wins, nine saves, 1.23 ERA). Jimmy Gilford paces the Blazers’ attack, hitting .374. Tyler Wrinkle (.363) and Lake Eiland (.353, 42 RBIs) also have swung steady bats for a team that hit more triples (30) than homers (27). Action.