JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps softball team shut down Agnes Scott, 8-0 in a pair of run-rule matchups at the Millsaps Softball Complex on Thursday.
Freshman pitcher Hailey Peterson tossed a six-inning no-hitter against the Scotties in Game Two. She tossed the first Millsaps no-hitter since April 16, 2016 when Cassidy DeNoon pitched a perfect game.
Game 1, W: Millsaps 8, Agnes Scott 0 (5 inn.)
Sophomore Allana Vasquez batted 2-for-3 against the Scotties in Game One. She recorded a double, an RBI and a run scored.
The Udine, Italy., native also pitched all five innings in the circle, accumulating two strikeouts while allowing just two hits, two walks and no runs.
Senior Ali Nolen (two runs, one RBI, one walk), freshman Kirsten Gilchrist (two RBIs, triple, run, walk), junior Kinsey Smith (RBI, run, double, walk) and sophomore Kadence Cannon (run, one stolen base) each batted 1-for-2 against the Scotties.
Freshman Kodi Jimmie (run, RBI) and classmate Brynn Arena both add a hit.
In the bottom of the second inning, Millsaps took an early lead over the Scotties when Arena bunted for a single and advanced to second base due to a throwing error by the opponent's pitcher.
Nolen sprinted home from second on the error to help the Majors secure a 1-0 lead.
Jimmie and Nolan later completed a nifty 3-6 ground double play to prevent the Scotties from scoring in the fifth inning.
The game remained close until the bottom of the fifth when Millsaps scored seven runs to put the run-rule into play.
Millsaps extended their lead to 2-0 when Peterson reached first base on a fielder's choice and Smith advanced to third and home on an error by the Scotties' shortstop.
After the throwing error by the Scotties, Vasquez hit a double to right field, allowing Cannon to score and increase the Majors' lead to 3-0.
Agnes Scott fell behind 4-0 after Jimmie hit a single to right field, advancing Peterson home.
Nolen added another single to right field for the Majors to send Vasquez home with an RBI.
Leading the Scotties by five runs, Gilchrist electrified the fans with a triple to the right-field corner to score both Jimmie and Nolen.
After an impressive triple by Gilchrist, Smith hit a walk-off double to left field to send Gilchrist home for the final Millsaps RBI.
Agnes Scott, unable to overcome the Majors' seven-run, six-hit inning, fell behind 8-0 and lost with the rule-rule put into action.
Game 2, W: Millsaps 8, Agnes Scott 0 (6 inn.)
Peterson pitched a stellar six-inning no-hitter to make history for the Majors. The only blemishes to the Metairie, La., native's outing was a hit by pitch and two defensive errors.
Nolen batted a perfect 3-for-3 against the Scotties while recording two RBIs, a run scored and an RBI.
Junior Tayler Gonzales (RBI, run), sophomore Madeline Black (RBI) and freshman Caitlyn Ludwig (two RBIs) each went 1-for-1 with pinch hits.
Jimmie, Peterson and Cannon (RBI, stolen base) each recorded a hit as well.
After defeating Agnes Scott 8-0 in Game One, Nolen kept the momentum going for the Majors in the bottom of the first inning of Game Two. She doubled to center field to score Peterson and Vasquez to give the team an early 2-0 lead.
After five 1-2-3 innings, Agnes Scott threatened to score in the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded.
With one out, Peterson fielded a ball and threw to senior Cassidy Cannella to stop the runner racing toward home from scoring.
Moments later, the Scotties' opportunity would end when Cannon scooped up a rolling ball and tossed to shortstop Nolen for the last out of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Millsaps added seven runs at bat to again pit the run-rule into play.
Gonzales stepped in to pinch hit and blasted a single to center field to score Jimmie, pushing the Major margin to 3-0.
Cannon then batted a single up the middle to push Nolen home helping extend the lead to 4-0.
Moments later, freshman Ava Palumbo reached first base on a fielder's choice and an error on the Agnes Scott third baseman let Gonzales race with the bases loaded.
Black then stepped in the batter's box to pinch hit and batted a single to left center to score freshman Hannah Briscoe.
Entering as the final pinch hitter for the Majors, Ludwig blasted a walk-off single up the middle to bring sophomore Ella Morgan Sears and Palumbo home on the final play.
The Millsaps players celebrated by taking down Agnes Scott, 8-0 in six innings on Thursday.
The Majors will be back in action to host Sewanee in conference action with a doubleheader, beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Live video and live stats links will be provided at gomajors.com.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College softball program follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
