Clinton/Mississippi College Night with the Mississippi Braves Set for April 8

When the Mississippi Braves face the Mobile BayBears on April 8, Trustmark Park will welcome plenty of baseball fans from Clinton and Mississippi College.

That Monday evening will mark the annual Clinton/Mississippi College Night at Trustmark Park in Pearl. Getting the festivities started, the 2013 Miss MC, Courtney Parella of Grenada, will sing the National Anthem.

Closing out the MBraves first homestand of the 2013 season, the game begins at 7 p.m. Visitors showing an ID from either Mississippi College or the Clinton public schools or having a Clinton driver’s license will receive a 50 percent discount off prices for dugout or field level seats. For fans receiving the discount, $12 dugout level seats would be chopped to $6. They would pay $4 for field level seats instead of $8.

Last year’s Clinton/MC Night saw the MBraves rally in the 8^th inning to defeat Mobile 4-2 to secure their first victory of the 2012 season.

Whether the MBraves win or lose, the event should attract a sizeable turnout of Clinton residents plus students from the Clinton Public School District and their parents. It should also be a nice spring event at Trustmark Park for  Mississippi College students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Look for Clinton Mayor Rosemary Aultman to be on hand at the 7,000-seat stadium off I-20. It comes just a few days after the MBraves open the season with an April 4 contest with Mobile followed by a fireworks show. The minor league team of the Atlanta Braves first began playing baseball in Pearl in 2005.

The  annual Clinton/MC Night with the MBraves, the mayor said, “is always a fun night to enjoy being at the ballpark with people from the community and the college. Trustmark Park and the MBraves organization go all out to make it a special event that highlights the city and the college.’’

 Many of the Clinton and MC fans making the trip to Trustmark Park will watch a fabulous Southern League baseball game, devour a few hotdogs and thank Aultman for her 20 years of service as the city’s mayor.

Mississippi College cheerleaders will welcome visitors, MC Army ROTC Color Guard students will take part in opening ceremonies, and a delegation of Trustmark Park guests from the Clinton public schools, and Clinton Chamber of Commerce will tell baseball fans about all the good things happening in Clinton. Staffers from the Baptist Healthplex will join MC and Clinton officials with information tables at the ballpark.

In addition, Clinton mayoral candidates are being invited to team up on the pitcher’s mound to toss the ceremonial first pitch.

To get ready for her debut performance at Trustmark Park, Parella has been busy rehearsing the National Anthem. Singing was her talent at the Miss MC Pageant on January 31. The Deltan will be among the contestants in the 2013 Miss Mississippi Pageant in Vicksburg later this year.

For more information on Clinton/MC Night, call 1.888.BRAVES4 or go to mississippibraves.com Fans can also contact Mississippi College’s Andy Kanengiser at 601.925.7760 or Sandi Beason of the Clinton Public School District at 601.924.7533.