JACKSON, Miss. — The Millsaps College softball team continued their strong start on the season after sweeping MUW, 3-0 over the weekend at the Millsaps Softball Complex.
Game 1: Millsap 6, MUW 1
Freshman Hadley Brunet had the honor of throwing out the first pitch as she founded a charity called Purple With A Purpose to raise money for pancreatic cancer research in honor of her grandmother on Saturday.
In the first matchup, Millsaps claimed a 6-1 victory. The game remained scoreless through the first four innings as both teams struggled offensively.
Game One was highlighted by sophomore Caroline Mathis' 2-for-4 batting, four RBIs, and home run to lead the Majors past the Owls.
Junior Ella Morgan Sears also went 2-for-4 in hitting while also registering a stolen base.
Sophomore Brynn Arena was also an important contributor to the majors. The Prairieville, La., product boasted two doubles and a stolen base while going 2-for-3 on the plate.
Inside the pitching circle, junior Allana Vasquez pitched a complete game, allowing just three hits and one earned run, striking out three batters, and improving her pitching record to 2-0 on the season.
Following outstanding pitching from both teams and a strong defensive display, the Owls recorded the first score on the day with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead.
Millsaps responded with a powerful offensive showing, highlighted by Mathis', three-run homer that scored senior Julia Strain and junior Kadence Cannon, giving the Majors a 3-1 lead after five innings.
The Majors extended their lead in the sixth inning with a series of hits, including a double by sophomore Arena and a single from Mathis that drove in additional runs, wrapping up the inning at 6-1 to win Game One.
Game 2: Millsaps 5, MUW 1
In the second game of the day, Millsaps again defeated the Owls, this time 5-1. The Majors capitalized on four fielding errors by the Owls and collected nine hits.
Junior Julie Amacher pitched a complete game, striking out five batters while allowing only three hits and no earned runs, maintaining a 0.86 WHIP.
At the plate, trio Sears, Vasquez, and Cannon all had two hits to go along with Mathis's two runs scored.
Vasquez's single got the scoring started, giving Millsaps an early 1-0 lead.
After the Owls tied the game with an unearned run in the fifth, Millsaps regained control with a run resulting from a fielding error.
They sealed the game in the sixth inning, where Cannon's single and a hit by sophomore Ava Palumbo, followed by another fielding error, led to a total of five runs.
Game 3: Millsap 8, MUW 4
On Sunday, the Majors completed the sweep with an 8-4 victory, highlighted by a decisive seven-run sixth inning.
Junior Sarah Watson pitched 5.2 innings, allowing 2 earned runs and striking out two batters, while sophomore Hailey Marange secured the win for Millsaps to improve her pitching record to 3-1 on the season.
The Majors put up their best hitting performance of the weekend in Game 3, which was recorded by home runs from Cannon and Arena.
The Owls initially took the lead in the first inning, but Millsaps tied it with a sacrifice fly from Vasquez.
The Owls regained the lead in the fifth but was short-lived as the Majors exploded in the sixth inning with an inside-the-park home run from Cannon and additional runs driven in by freshman Liza Gregg.
Arena followed that up with a homer of her own, ultimately leading to a commanding 8-2 advantage.
Although the Owls scored two additional runs in the seventh, it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit.
Millsaps finishes the weekend 3-0 to extend their record on the season to 7-2, showcasing both offensive strength and solid pitching throughout the series against MUW.
The Majors will be back in action on Saturday to face MUW in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p,m. in Columbus, Miss. 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.
