BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Millsaps softball team won 2–1 over No. 7 seed Hendrix but was bested by No. 3 seed Rhodes, 13–5 to conclude its SAA Tournament at the Birmingham-Southern Softball Park on Saturday.
Game 1 vs. Hendrix: 2-1, W
Freshman Kadence Cannon led the Majors with a 2-for-3 outing, while recording two stolen bases. Junior
Alli Nolen finished 1-for-2 with a walk, run scored and an RBI, while sophomore
Cassidy Cannella recorded a hit and an RBI against the Warriors.
Senior Abigail Smith was stellar in seven complete innings in the circle with zero walks, allowing only four hits and one run in the victory, helping avoid elimination to begin the day.
Millsaps, playing as the designated road team, got off to a strong start in the top of the second inning. A Nolen single to right field would score Cannon and Millsaps would extend their lead to 2-0 moments later as Cannella
singled around Nolen from second base.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Warriors would respond with a sacrifice fly and bring the lead runner home to tally their first score of the game.
Millsaps looked to add more with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning but would be stopped by the Warriors with a force out at third base.
The Majors would better the Warriors in the bottom of the seventh inning with two ground outs and a pop out in foul territory to clinch the win over No. 7 seed Hendrix, 2-1.
Game 2 vs. Rhodes: 13-5, L
Freshman Allana Vaquez batted 2-for-3 with a run scored and hit by pitch. at bat while Senior
Haylie Hoffpauir finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and sophomore
Kinsey Smith recorded her third collegiate home run and walked.
Abigail Smith pitched two innings of relief, while only allowing one run, no walks and three hits against the Lynx.
The Lynx opened the top of the first inning with a 4-0 margin. However in the bottom of the inning, senior
Molli Perry would score off an error to help build the Majors' confidence.
Millsaps would continue to stay focused as Cannon singled through the left side, allowing Vasquez to touch home plate and decrease the deficit to 4-2.
Rhodes would score again in the second, three runs in the fourth and once more in the fifth to build a 9-2 advantage.
In the top of the seventh inning, Rhodes scored four more times for a 13-2 count.
The Majors would remain tough going into the bottom of the seventh as
Kinsey Smith would homer and a fielding error allowed senior
Camille Black and Hoffpauir to score from a fielding error.
No. 3 seed Rhodes would claim the final out with a fly out for a 13-5 decision.
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