BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Millsaps softball team (12-11, 9-5 SAA) split a doubleheader with No. 6 Birmingham-Southern (24-4, 11-2 SAA) at the BSC Softball Park on Saturday. The Majors claimed a 5-4 victory in Game One in eight innings and lost Game Two by a score of 9-1.
Game One: 5-4 (8 Innings)
Sophomore pitcher
Hannah Derouen only allowed four runs, struck out two batters and walked zero Panthers in 8.0 innings of action.
Freshman
Molli Perry had a hit, two stolen bases and one RBI and senior
Lindsey Osbon added two RBIs. Senior
Jordan Lipari had a big game with one hit, a run, an RBI, a walk and she forced an erroneous throw in the eighth that scored the go-ahead and eventual winning run.
Neither team could get an advantage on the scoreboard after the first two innings.
BSC struck first when they tallied two RBIs with two outs in the bottom of the third.
After a scoreless fourth inning from both teams, an infield RBI from Perry allowed Lipari to zoom across the plate for the first Millsaps run. Later in the fifth inning, Osbon blasted a two-RBI single to right field that scored
Katelyn Norse and
Leslie Norris for a 3-2 Major lead.
The Panthers were able to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI single to right field.
Looking to gain separation in the top of the sixth inning,
Ty Bergeron got the offense started with a stand-up double to right field. Lipari was able to continue her hot day with an RBI single to left center field that scored
Brooklyn Wascom, who pinch ran for Bergeron.
Looking to finish off the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Majors were well on their way when a strikeout from Derouen pitted BSC to their last out. A shot from the Panthers to the left field warning track left field was enough to tie the game at 4-4.
Remaining unphased by the Panthers' comeback effort,
Magen Authement scored on a throwing error from second base when the BSC third baseman attempted to throw Lipari out at first. The ball got away and gave Authement time to give the Majors a 5-4 edge.
Derouen put the finishing touches on her complete game in the eighth, stranding two runners for a 5-4 victory.
Game Two: 1-9 (5 Innings)
No. 6 BSC was too tough for the Majors in Game Two. Perri had two hits and one RBI while Lipari chipped in two hits.
The Majors' offense got off to a promising start when an Osbon RBI single up the middle drove in Perry for a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Not to be outdone, a pair of RBI-singles from BSC knocked in three runners for a 3-1 advantage in the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the second inning, the Panthers would extend their lead to 4-1 on another RBI single.
With five runs scored in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Panthers would put the game out of reach by taking a 9-1 lead and hold on to win in five.
The Majors will face Birmingham-Southern for the final game of the series on Sunday. First pitch for the regular-season finale will be at 12 p.m. CT. Live stats and video links will be available at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps softball program follow the Majors on Twitter and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
