Clinton, Miss. – The Millsaps Majors Softball Team traveled to Clinton, Mississippi on Wednesday evening to take on the Mississippi College Choctaws in a double header. The Majors struggled to get anything going offensively as they only managed to get two total runs across on the night as they fell 3-1 and 9-1.
In the first game, the Majors got things started in the top of the first as sophomore Caroline Thompson drew a walk. After the Choctaws recorded the first out, Thompson was called out due to leaving the base too early to record the second out after junior Megan Yglesias had singled. Yglesias had to return to the plate and ripped a double to right center with two away. After a walk to senior Allison Tarbox, freshman Logan Dukes came to the plate and ripped a liner right at the first baseman as MC got away unscathed.
Junior Emily Collins locked in though and pitched well for Millsaps as she put the Choctaws away in the first two innings.
MC came up in the third inning and came away with two singles and a walk to load the bases up with no outs. Collins went to work and got the next two batters popped up in the infield to get two outs. However, the Choctaws came through as they cleared the bases thanks to two errors on the play to take a 3-0 advantage.
Collins continued to pitch well and keep the Majors in striking distance; however, Millsaps had a tough time figuring out Choctaw's starter Megan Honea, who held them to two hits on the night.
The Majors did not go away quietly in the seventh as they looked to make a rally with two outs. Freshman Karen McWilliams reached on an error by MC and then scored after sophomore Allyson Christian reached on an error. Senior Jade Hewitt walked to put the tying run on, but the Majors could not come through as they fell 3-1.
Millsaps came back in Game Two and saw much better production at the plate as they scattered seven hits, but could not plate many base runners.
The Choctaws struck first in the third as they went up 1-0, but Millsaps responded in the top of the fourth. Tarbox led the inning off with a single to center and Dukes moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Collins then singled and moved Tarbox to third with one out in the inning. McWilliams hit a deep fly ball to center to score the run and make it a 1-1 game.
However, MC got one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and five in the sixth to run away and take the 9-1 in six innings.
Collins led the way in Game Two as she went 3-for-3 while Thompson, Yglesias, Tarbox, and Dukes each added a hit apiece.
The Majors prepare to open things up at home this weekend, as they will welcome in Webster College and Austin College (non-conference games) for a two game slate with each. The games start on Saturday with Millsaps taking on Webster at 10 a.m. followed by Austin College at 12 p.m.
