GALLMAN — Wells Middleton stole a home run from Copiah Academy and knocked one of his own out of the park, but the play of Trinity Episcopal baseball team’s lone senior wasn’t quite enough to get a win.

The Saints fell to Copiah 8-3 in the first game of round two of the MPSA Class AA South State playoffs Monday.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Copiah’s Scott Renfroe hit a shot to deep left field, but Middleton caught it on top of the fence for the third out.

Middleton then led off at the top of the next inning with a home run on the first pitch.

“He’s kept this bunch together at times,” Trinity coach Matt Mason said of Middleton. “He knows how to step up when we really need him to. Their park isn’t real big here and they hit one that kept floating, and he kept it in the park.”

But Copiah pitcher Scotty Reese had most of the Saints’ bats quiet in the game. He pitched a full seven innings, allowing four hits, including two to sophomore Kent King.

Trinity was scoreless through the first four innings.

“He had a real live fastball, and he throws some difficult arm angles,” Mason said of Reese. “We knew it would be tough to get hits off of him.”

Trinity put Jake Winston on the mound to start the game, and the freshman went three innings, giving up six runs.

Caleb Upton relieved him for the fourth inning and held Copiah scoreless until the sixth.

“We put two freshmen on the mound tonight in a big-time ballgame,” Mason said. “We couldn’t ask for more than what they gave us. They really battled, and they gave us a chance to win it.”

The Saints will host the second game of the series 7 p.m. tonight at Chester Willis Field.

Mason said Jordan Dossett is scheduled to start for the Saints, and Givonni Dent will be available in relief.

He said as long as the Saints give the same effort and a good pitching performance in game two, Trinity should have a chance to win the game.

“We’ve got to get some breaks — they got the breaks tonight,” Mason said. “Obviously we’ve got to score a few more runs, but I have got confidence that we can beat this team now. I know our guys will play as hard as they can to win.”