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The Lady Choctaws (30-18, 21-10 GSC) opened the day with a come-from-behind 4-2 victory over the Lady Statesmen (21-24, 14-18 GSC) before winning the nightcap by a score of 3-1.
GAME ONE: Mississippi College 4, Delta State 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
– Delta State got on the board first in the opener, putting together three two-out singles in the third inning to grab a 2-0 advantage. Mari Alex Sandridge and Madison Zoeller each drove in runs in the frame.
– The Lady Choctaws wasted no time answering, as they scored three times in the third to take a 3-2 lead.
– After senior Haley Thompson singled, stole second base and moved up to third on a groundout by junior Katherine Lee, senior Tylan Buckley drove in MC’s first run with an infield single.
– Sophomore Kristen Qualls tied the game with a double to right-center field, scoring Buckley, while freshman Carly Crawford doubled home Qualls to give MC the lead for good.
– Buckley drove in another run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, giving the game its final score of 4-2.
– DSU got the go-ahead run to the plate with one out in the seventh, but a poor baserunning mistake resulted in a double play and the win for MC
KEY STATS
– Thompson, Crawford and senior Megan Everett each had two hits on the night for MC, while Buckley drove in a game-high two runs.
– Thompson also stole two bases in the game, giving her 44 for the season, which ties a single-season record with Shay Mickens (2014).
– Sophomore Adrianna Morgan (7-5) collected her third straight win for MC, pitching around five hits and five walks in the complete-game victory.
– Morgan gave up just two runs and struck out three in the win.
– Zoeller led the Lady Statesmen with two hits, while Jordan Jones and Sandridge each scored runs.
– Sandridge (5-8) took the loss for DSU, giving up 10 hits and four earned runs with two walks and five strikeouts.
GAME TWO: Mississippi College 3, Delta State 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
– The second game was a pitcher’s duel between junior Kristen Gardner and Bailie Springfield as neither team had a baserunner until the third inning.
– In the fourth, Qualls gave MC all the offense they would need with her 8th home run of the season and 20th of her career. The shot over centerfield was a two-run blast the made the score 2-0.
– Lee gave MC a 3-0 advantage in the fifth with a two-out RBI single that scored Everett.
– The Lady Statesmen scored a two-out run of their own in the sixth inning on a single by Colben Patin.
– An unbelievable defensive play by senior Lauren Mulligan up the middle kept the frame from getting worse, getting the second out on a diving stop.
KEY STATS
– Gardner (3-3) pitched a complete game for the Lady Choctaws, allowing just the one earned run on seven hits. She stranded seven runner on the night, as well.
– Qualls led the way with two RBI on the home run.
– Springfield (8-6) took the tough-luck loss for DSU, giving up just five hits and three earned runs over 6.0 innings.
NEXT UP
– The Lady Choctaws and Lady Statesmen will close out the series on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at the MC Softball Complex.
– Prior to the contest, MC will recognize five seniors (Buckley, Molli Douglass, Everett, Mulligan and Thompson) that are playing their final home games.
