ABILENE, Tx.—The Millsaps softball team kicked off their 2019 season Friday at the Abilene Round Robin Softball Tournament. 
 
The dropped their opening game to host McMurry University 6-4 in extra innings before falling to Schreiner University 9-1 in five. 
 
Game One
 
McMurry jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning after three hit by pitches and a pair of walks were issued by Majors starter Shauna Blady. 
 
Blady kept the War Hawks off the bases until the fourth, when McMurry added another run after a double and two sacrifices made the score 3-0, with just one hit in the game. 
 
In the top of the sixth, McMurry had runners on second and third but Blady, who had only given up three hits, struck out Allison Gutierrez to end the threat. After Leslie Norris struck out swinging to start the bottom half of the sixth, Lindsey Osbon got the Majors first hit of the season with a double to right center. The next batter, Ty Bergeron, reached on an infield single, sending Osbon to third. Kendall Carder was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Karlie Galloway drove in a run with a fielder's choice, which was followed up by a Matilyn Taliaferro double to score Carter and bring the Majors within one. 
 
The War Hawks added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, but the Majors were able to tie the game in the final frame. Micah Danos and Jordan Lipari started the inning with walks and Norris loaded the bases with a bunt down the third base line. Osbon reached on a fielder's choice when McMurry threw out the runner at home but Bergeron singled, scoring Lipari, to make the score 4-3. Carder flew out but Galloway picked up her second RBI of the day on a HBP that tied the game at 4 and forced extra innings.
 
McMurry started with a runner on second, per NCAA softball extra inning rules, and scored when the first batter of the inning singled. A double and a single scored another run and unfortunately, the Majors were set down in order in the bottom of the eighth, to fall 6-4. 
 
Bergeron and Taliaferro had a hit and RBI for Millsaps while Galloway had a pair of RBI's. Osbon and Norris had the other two Major hits. Blady picked up the loss after going 7.1 innings, scattering seven hits and six runs, five earned. Karley Williams got the last two outs for Millsaps.    
 
Game Two
 
The Majors weren't able to string much offense together in game two, falling 9-1 to Schreiner in five innings. 
 
Norris started the game off with a single, but nothing came of it and she was stranded at second. The Lions got on the board quickly, jumping on Williams, who got the start for Millsaps. She sandwiched a hit between a pair of hit batters before a double brought in a pair of Schreiner runners. After a popout, a Majors error allowed another runner to score before a bunt single brought in the fourth run of the inning. The next Lion hitter doubled, scoring two and giving Schreiner a 6-0 lead after one. 
 
Schreiner added three runs on a two-run homerun and a wild pitch/throwing error to go ahead 9-0 after two.
 
The Majors got one back in the top of the third when Galloway singled with two outs, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a Bergeron single. 
 
Blady relieved Williams in the middle of the second and was able to keep the Lions off the board for the rest of the game. Unfortunately, the Majors couldn't put any runs across and dropped to 0-2 to start the season. 
 
Millsaps was led by Bergeron's hit and RBI while Lipari, Norris, Galloway and Mackenzie Johnson all had base hits. Williams took the loss after giving up eight runs on six hits in just 1.1 innings of work. 
 
What's Next
 
The Majors will wrap up the Abilene Tournament with a double header on Saturday. They'll face Austin College at 10am before finishing with Hardin Simmons at noon.