JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps softball team split a pair of games against Hanover College on Wednesday, claiming a 10-4 triumph in the opener and falling 10-5 in the second contest at the Millsaps Softball Complex.

Game One: W, 10-4

Senior Katelyn Norse went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while sophomore Molli Perry went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two stolen bases in Game One.

Senior Cassidy Thrash (5.0 IP, three strikeouts, two runs against) powered through the first three batters in the first inning, including a strikeout.

However, the Panthers would score the first run of the game with a home run over the left center field wall in the second. The next batter reached second, but Thrash held strong with two balls hit in play and her second strikeout.

The Majors responded instantly in the bottom of the second frame to tie the game at 1-1. Camille Black opened the inning with a single and Katelyn Norse successfully reached with a bunt single. After an Alli Nolen bunt advanced both runners into scoring position, a Molli Perry ground out scored Black from third.

Hanover powered the ball over left center yet again for a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Thrash responded with a strikeout and Katie Norris made a diving, acrobatic catch in right field for the next two outs. Kat Reeves hauled in a fly ball for the third out.

Millsaps would gain a 3-2 advantage in its half of the fourth. Black would reach by a hit by pitch and she would score two batters latter when Nolen slapped the ball down the left field line all the way to the wall.

Perry then made it to safely with a bunt single and scored Nolen on a double steal of second and home, putting the Majors up 3-2.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Majors would add three runs to build their lead up to 6-2. Black would use a sacrifice fly to plate Norris from third. Norse then found a hole by the third baseman and score both Brooklyn Wascom and Mackenzie Fleming from scoring position.

With Hayleigh Rogers in relief, the Panthers would claw back for two tallies in the top of the fifth. Millsaps would work out of a bases loaded situation with no outs as the deficit closed to 6-4.
 
The back-and-forth scoring fest would continue as Millsaps would add four runs in the bottom of the sixth. A Fleming sacrifice fly scored Norris, an error scored Savanah Stafford and Megan Authement, while Emily Cook singled home Black.

Brianna Newman shut down the last two Panther hitters as the Majors claimed an opening 10-4 victory.


Game Two: L, 5-10

Perry would score twice and steal two more bases in the second game that saw Hanover come alive offensively. Wascom went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Cook was all over the stat sheet, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI in defeat.

Hannah Derouen would record a 1-2-3 inning to get Game Two started. The Majors then jumped on Hanover for three first inning runs. Black would walk and score Reeves with the bases loaded. With two outs, Wascom provided a 2-RBI single to bring home Norris and Cook for an early 3-0 edge.

The Panthers would come back, however, in the top of the fourth for eight runs and claim an 8-3 lead. Then after Perry singled and stole second, a throwing error at first allowed her to score and bring the Hanover tally to 8-4 after four innings.

Hanover would tack on another run in the sixth and the Majors would answer with their own run, a Cook single that scored Perry from second. The Panthers would strand three Majors to avert further damage and hold a 9-5 lead. Hanover would score once more in the seventh for a final 10-5 score.

Conference play gets underway as the Majors host Centre College for a Saturday doubleheader, beginning at 12 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at gomajors.com.


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