April 15, 2008

JACKSON – In Millsaps' final home games of the 2008 slate, sophomore Brittney McAllister scattered five hits in a complete game performance to earn the Majors an 11-3 win in Game 1 before MS College fought its way to a 14-7 win in Game 2 to earn the Tuesday split.

Millsaps managed just six hits in the first game but took advantage of eight walks by MC starter Katie Perry (13-17), crossing the plate 11 times en route to the run-rule win.

The Majors gave McAllister (4-5) plenty of room to work in the first inning, striking for five runs on three hits. The big blow came on a two-run single by rightfielder Morgan Ladner to give the Majors a 5-0 lead.

The Majors scored a single run in the second inning before third baseman Jennifer McKinley ripped a two-run double to push the lead to 8-0.

MS College (14-18) rallied with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth before the Majors sealed the game with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth, capped off by designated hitter Kasey Thibodeaux’s two-run single to right.

Thibodeaux led the Majors with two hits and three RBIs, while McKinley and Ladner each went 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Millsaps also grabbed five stolen bases in the game, including two apiece from Sam Hill and Katherine Nicholas.

McAllister went the distance for the Majors, scattering five hits and surrendering three runs (one earned), while walking just one.

The Majors followed with another solid game at the plate in the nightcap, scoring seven runs, but it wasn’t enough as the Choctaws pounded out 16 hits and took advantage of six Millsaps errors, to take a wild 14-7 victory.

The Choctaws got to starter Laura Litton early in the contest, as the first three batters reached base—two on errors—and catcher Adrienne Ard belted a three-run home run to right to begin a five-run first inning.

MC stretched the lead out to 7-0 on a second home run by Ard in the second and a double steal in the third. The Majors, however, rallied to tie the game with three runs in the third and four in the fourth.

Hill belted an RBI-double to left-center in the third and came around to score on a single by McKinley. Thibodeaux followed with an RBI-single of her own to trim the lead to 7-3.

Millsaps tied it up on three straight Choctaw errors with runners on base after another RBI-double by Hill. The Majors had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded and one out but Litton grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

The Choctaws took the lead for good, scoring a pair of runs in the fifth and five in the sixth. Perry (14-17) did not allow a hit in the final three innings, to earn the win in relief. Ard went 4-for-5 at the plate with four RBIs and two home runs to lead the Choctaws.

All three seniors—Amanda Stevens, Jessica Clincy and Kalea Hardwick—received the start in the group’s final home game. Stevens went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate and reached base in all four plate appearances.

Millsaps wraps up its regular season at 17-12 overall and will begin postseason play April 25 in Danville, Ky., at the SCAC Softball Championships. The Majors will be the East's No. 2 seed and will play either Hendrix or Rhodes College in their tournament opener.