COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Millsaps softball team opened postseason play strong by defeating No. 3 seed Rhodes, 8-0 in the 2025 SAA Softball Championship opener in six innings at the South Commons Softball Complex on Thursday.
Sophomore Allana Vasquez had an outstanding performance against the Lynx. She batted 2-for-3 inside the batter's box and recorded two RBIs for Millsaps (23-11).
The Udine, Italy, native pitched all six innings inside the circle with four strikeouts where she allowed zero runs and one walk against just six hits.
Sophomore Ella Morgan Sears went 3-for-4 at the plate, while recording three runs and two stolen bases.
Freshmen Hailey Peterson (RBI, double) and Brynn Arena (RBI, walk, double) each recorded two hits.
Senior Kinsey Smith (two RBIs), classmate Alli Nolen (run, double, RBI) and freshman Kodi Jimmie (run, walk) all recorded a hit against the Lynx.
Sears stepped up to her first SAA Tournament on the plate with a lead-off single to strike Rhodes (21-17) early.
The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native would later steal second base and a single down the left-field line by Vasquez brought Sears home.
Nolen continued to deliver for the Majors in the first inning with a double to left field that scored freshman pinch runner Ava Palumbo, extending the Major lead to 2-0.
Moments later, Arena walked with the bases loaded to send Jimmie home to extend the Majors' advantage to 3-0.
Leading by three runs, Smith continued the damage with a sacrifice fly out to right field that sent Nolen home. Freshman Kirsten Gilchrist scored on the same play to make it 5-0.
Millsaps continued to apply pressure in the bottom of the second as Peterson then blasted a double to center field, scoring Sears from first and extend the Majors' scoring advantage to 6-0.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Smith kept the Majors locked into the contest with a single to right field that tallied Gilchrist from third and made it 7-0.
Sears then led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and stole second base. A Peterson single then moved Sears over to third.
Vasquez ended the game with a sacrifice fly to score Sears. The Lynx would fall with the run-rule being placed into effect as the Majors secured an 8-0 triumph on Thursday.
The Majors will be back in action to face No. 1 seed Berry at 11:30 a.m. CT in Columbus, Ga. on Friday. The loser will play again at 1:30 p.m. CT, while the winner will play at 4 p.m. CT in Game 10 of the tournament. An 'if-necessary' game will then follow at 6:30 p.m. if a champion is not crowned in Game 10. Live video and live stats are available for all potential matchups 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.
