MT. BERRY, Ga. — The Millsaps College softball team dropped a conference doubleheader to No. 9 Berry College, 5-1 and 9-1 on Saturday at Kay Williams Field.
GAME 1: Berry 5, Millsaps 1
Sophomore Caroline Mathis went 2-for-4 on the plate against the Vikings in Game One, recording one run and stealing two bases.
Junior Allana Vasquez and sophomore Hailey Peterson also went 2-for-4 to finish their first game on the day.
Classmates Brynn Arena (RBI, stolen base, walk) and Kodi Jimmie each went 2-for-3 on the plate.
Sophomore Hailey Marange pitched 4.1 innings, striking out two batters. She threw 59 pitches, 42 of which were strikes.
Junior Julie Amacher came in as a reliever, pitching 1.2 innings and allowing three hits and one run. She threw 25 pitches, 18 of them strikes.
In the top of the first inning, Vasquez singled to center field for the Majors before building their defensive momentum to stop the Vikings with two lineouts in the bottom of the inning.
In the third inning, Mathis hit a leadoff single up the middle and later stole second and third base.
Arena followed with a single to drive in Mathis, giving the Majors an early 1–0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Millsaps had another chance to score after Mathis singled to right field, advancing freshman Klaire Purewal to third, but Berry ended the inning by striking out a batter looking.
After trailing four innings, the Vikings recorded a double to left field and a single up the middle, bringing in two runners to take their first lead of the game, 3–1, in the bottom of the fifth.
The Vikings extended their lead by capitalizing on two Majors errors, taking a 5–1 advantage over the visitors.
In the top of the seventh, Arena singled to right field, and Vasquez stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter, advancing first on an error by the Vikings' shortstop.
Peterson then singled, advancing Vasquez to second and Arena to third, while junior Kadence Cannon and freshman Liza Gregg reached first base on a fielder's choice.
The Vikings closed out the final inning by recording an out at home and an unassisted play, securing a 5–1 win over the Majors in Game One.
GAME: 2 Berry 9, Millsaps 1 (5 inn.)
Sophomore Ella Morgan Sears went 2-for-3 in Game Two while recording one run, two doubles and a stolen base.
Arena recorded one double and a walk, while Vasquez boasted a hit and an RBI.
In the top of the first inning, Sears doubled to left field and quickly stole second.
Vasquez then singled and advanced to second on a throw, allowing Sears to cross the plate and give the Majors an early 1–0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Berry expanded their lead with five runs and four hits to attack the Majors, 5-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Berry contributed four hits and four runs, boosting their performance in Game Two to a 9–1 lead.
The mercy rule was enacted in the inning as the Majors fell to the Vikings, 9–1, after a hard-fought battle.
The Majors will be back in action on Sunday to complete the three-game series against Berry College beginning at 2 p.m. CT in Mount Berry, Ga., Live video and live stats 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.
