April 15, 2007

JACKSON -- In the final home conference series for graduating seniors Renee Hebert and Josie Manley, Millsaps rebounded from a 5-0 loss in Game 1 to take the series finale, 7-3, and earn a Sunday split on the final weekend of competition in SCAC West division play.

Senior Erin Mulvey of Trinity, the conference's all-time leader in career strikeouts as of Saturday, tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout for the Tigers in Game 1 for her 12th win of the season. Mulvey struck out nine batters against four walks while scattering three hits in seven innings of work in the 5-0 win.

Sophomore Jamie Williams and freshman Katie Longacre each recorded multi-RBI games for the Tigers with sophomore Kate Wright going 3-for-4 at the plate in the leadoff spot.

Erica Douglas was hit with the loss for Millsaps after relieving starter Kasey Thibodeaux, surrendering five runs (three earned) off nine hits over the final four innings. Upon Douglas' arrival, Thibodeaux allowed just two hits and two walks over three innings of work.

In the series finale, Trinity (22-10, 9-3 SCAC West) lit up the scoreboard first with a three-run first inning. Wright stole home after a leadoff single, followed by a Williams RBI-single to centerfield and a sacrifice fly from Amy Blaha for the 3-0 lead.

Millsaps (11-21, 6-6 SCAC West), however, scored seven unanswered runs in the fourth, fifth and six, took advantage of three Trinity errors and pounded out 11 hits - eight over the final three frames - to pull out the 7-3 victory and avoid a weekend series sweep.

Eight different Majors recorded a hit in the win with Jessica Clincy, Thibodeaux and Hebert each posting multi-hit games. It was Thibodeaux's RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth frame with runners on second and third that allowed Millsaps to plate Jennifer McKinley for the eventual game-winning run.

After dropping her first game in the circle in eight tries on Saturday, freshman Brittney McAllister (8-3) of Mobile, Ala., held the Tigers to only five hits and three runs (one earned) in a complete game performance.

Millsaps will conclude the regular season with a 5 p.m. doubleheader at Mississippi College on Tuesday, April 17, followed by a 1 p.m. twinbill against Belhaven at home on Saturday, April 21.

They will then begin preparations for the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament in San Antonio, Texas, the weekend of April 27-29.

Game Notes:
*Overcast, damp, 18-20 mph winds, 58 degrees
*Trinity wins weekend series, 3-1
*Senior Day at Millsaps College (Manley, Hebert)
*Majors finish 6-6 in SCAC West play
*Tigers win SCAC West for sixth time in eight years
*Hebert led the Majors with a 6-for-12 outing on the weekend
*Mulvey posts 2-0 record with 20 strikeouts