February 18, 2007

ATLANTA, Ga. -- In its first competition of the 2007 season at the Emory Invitational, the Millsaps softball team fell victim to a three-game road sweep, falling to Greensboro 11-3 and Piedmont 3-1 on Saturday and tournament host Emory 9-0 in five innings on Sunday.

The Majors hung tough in their first game of the season against Greensboro (3-0), only trailing 4-3 heading into the sixth before the Pride piled on seven runs in the inning off three hits and three Millsaps errors.

Senior Josie Manley picked up the Majors' first RBIs of the season, tripling down the rightfield line in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 2-2 in the early going. Jennifer McKinley earned the other Millsaps RBI, doubling to right in the fourth.

Erica Douglas (0-1, 4.38 ERA) was hit with the loss for the Majors, surrendering four runs off six hits while striking out three in three innnings of work.

In the second game of the afternoon against Piedmont, the Lady Lions plated three runs in the first inning off Casey Thibodeaux (0-1, 2.33 ERA) on a pair of RBI doubles from Emily Maxey and Nichole Payne en route to the 3-1 win.

Piedmont (1-0) hung on from there, as Meredith Ray pitched her first complete game of the season, striking out four and surrendering five hits and one run -- an RBI groundout to Manley in the top half of the sixth.

In Sunday's tournament finale against the hosts from Emory (2-1), the Eagles jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first and used a pinch-hit grand slam from sophomore Kim Bandy in the second to cruise to a 9-0 win in only five innings.

Eagles pitchers went five shutout innings with Kathy Gordon (2-1) picking up the win. Gordon went four innings, striking out five while allowing five hits and one walk. Marion Holland closed out the game in her first collegiate appearance, throwing a perfect fifth inning with one strikeout.

Millsaps (0-3, 0-0 SCAC) was led by McKinley who went 2-for-3 on the afternoon with a double in the first and a single in the third. Manley, Douglas and Renee Hebert also picked up one hit apiece.

Freshman Brittney McAllister (0-1) was hit with the loss for the Majors, allowing five runs off five hits in only two innings of work.

McKinley leads all Majors in the early going, batting an even .500 (5-for-10) from the plate with a pair of doubles, seven total bases and one RBI.

Millsaps will return to action next weekend, traveling to Pineville, La., for the Louisiana College/Coca-Cola Classic on Feb. 23 and 24.

The Majors will face off with Central College (Iowa), LaGrange College, Hardin-Simmons and tournament host Louisiana College who finished ranked No. 14 in 2006 with a 38-9 record.