COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Millsaps softball team posted a fantastic run in the SAA Softball Championship, falling to No. 1 seed Berry College in the Finals at the South Commons Softball Complex on Friday.
After defeating No. 3 seed Rhodes, 8-0 on Thursday, the Majors played three games on Friday. Millsaps was bettered by No. 1 seed Berry, 7-2 before defeating Rhodes again, 10-2 to advance to the Finals.
Berry held a one-game advantage and claimed the SAA Softball Tournament title, 12-4 in the nightcap.
Millsaps (24-14, 11-4 SAA) finishes the season with the most overall wins since 2017 and most conference wins since 2022. The Majors also posted the highest conference winning percentage, dating back to the 2010 season.
Freshman
Hailey Peterson along with sophomores
Ella Morgan Sears and
Allana Vasquez were named to the SAA Softball All-Tournament Team following four games of terrific effort.
Friday Game 1 vs. Berry: 7-2, L
The Majors entered Friday after beating Rhodes, 8-0 on Thursday. Berry posted a strong challenge and best Millsaps, 7-2 in the winner's matchup.
Sophomore
Ella Morgan Sears went 2-for-4, while registering one run.
Freshman Hailey Peterson, sophomore Allana Vasquez (RBI), senior Alli Nolen, first year-student Kirsten Gilchrist (run), senior Kinsey Smith and sophomore Kadence Cannon (RBI) each recorded a hit against the Vikings.
Vasquez pitched 4.2 innings where she struck out two batters with no walks and allowed three runs and five hits inside the circle.
Berry attacked the Majors early with three consecutive hits and a fielder's choice to take a 3-0 lead in the opening inning.
The Vikings continued their team momentum after a pair of hits and a second fielder's choice extended their margin to 4-0 an inning later.
Vasquez ended the Vikings' threat by pitching two continuous strikeouts to put away the inning.
Down by four runs in the top of the third inning, Cannon and Sears both recorded singles to increase the Majors' confidence back up.
However, Berry would utilize a single and a combination of ground outs to score another runner.
In the top of the fifth inning, Sears, Peterson, and Vasquez each continued to give the Majors hope after batting back-to-back-to-back hits and put the team on board.
Berry advanced their scoring advantage to 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth after crushing a solo home run outside the fence
Not giving up as a team, Millsaps concentration remained high in the top of the sixth. A pair of singles and pair of fielder's choice made it 6-2. Cannon's fielder's choice brought home Gilchrist with the help of an error.
Berry's lead expanded to 7-2 after a pair of singles to help score a runner from second base for the final run of the game.
Friday Game 2 vs. Rhodes: 10-2, W
The Majors stepped in the second game on Friday and dominated Rhodes again with a 10-2 triumph.
Peterson pitched a terrific complete game with three strikeouts against two walks, two runs and eight hits. She added two doubles and two runs at the plate.
Both Vasquez (RBI, run, double) and junior Tayler Gonzales (RBI, run, stolen base) batted 3-for-4. Sears added a three-run homer to help put the game out of reach in the fifth.
Freshman Kodi Jimmie (one run), Nolen (RBI, run, walk), Gilchrist (RBI) and Cannon (one run) all posted a hit in the win.
Millsaps jumped ahead, 1-0 in the top of the first. Peterson doubled and then Vasquez followed with an RBI-double to post the game's first run.
The game was a pitching battle until the top of the fifth when the Major offense exploded for six runs.
Gonzales scored on an error to open the inning. Sears then stepped up with a three-run homer to put the Majors up, 5-0. The inning continued and Nolen bunted home Peterson from third. A bad throw by the catcher also brought Vasquez around from second base.
Rhodes cut into the deficit with a two-RBI double in the sixth to make it 7-2.
However, Millsaps added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Another error brought home freshman Brynn Arena before Gilchrist and Gonzales followed with RBI singles.
The Lynx managed a single and added a second runner off an error in the seventh but were unable to score any more runs after grounding out for the final three outs.
Friday Game 3 vs. Berry: 12-4, L
Millsaps faced Berry in a rematch in the final game on Friday. The Majors were looking to defeat the Vikings twice in the Finals, but Berry claimed the conference crown with a 12-4 decision.
Peterson had a terrific game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a double. Sears also went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs.
Jimmie, Gilchrist and Smith also added a hit.
Berry broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth with a solo home run. The Vikings made it 3-0 in the fourth with a two-run homer.
Millsaps fought back in the bottom of the fifth and tied the score. Peterson doubled to left center cleared the bases, plating Arena, freshman Ava Palumbo and Sears.
The Vikings soon answered back with a grand slam to claim a 7-3 advantage in the sixth. Berry then added five runs in the seventh to put the game away.
SAA Softball All-Tournament Team
Centre – Madison Mullender
Sewanee – Sydney Tackett
Hendrix – Betty Wolfe
Rhodes – Taylor Petty
Millsaps – Hailey Peterson
Millsaps – Allana Vasquez
Millsaps – Ella Morgan Sears
Berry – Ava Fouts
Berry – Elly Bennett
Berry – Erica Bennett
Berry – Hannah Gore (MVP)
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.
