March 11, 2007

LaGRANGE, Ga. -- With 11 of its first 15 games on the road to open the season, the Millsaps softball team ended its 10-game road losing streak on Sunday, bouncing back from a 6-0 loss in Game 1 to win Game 2 by a score of 4-3.

LaGrange jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first frame off a two-out rally in Game 1, taking advantage of three walks with an RBI-single from Kellee Scandrett and a base-clearing, three-RBI double from Jennifer Knight.

Amanda Daniel and the Panthers cruised from there, as the sophomore hurler scattered six hits and two strikeouts in seven innings of scoreless ball for her fifth win of the season and seventh shutout of her career.

Freshman Jennifer McKinley led the Majors offensively, going 2-for-3 from the plate while Knight and Scandrett did the damage for LaGrange.

The tables turned for the Majors in the second game, scoring two runs in the top of the first frame off an RBI-single to leftfield from McKinley and an RBI-single up the middle from senior infielder Josie Manley.

Millsaps added a run in the third off a Kasey Thibodeaux RBI-double down the leftfield line and a run in the fifth off a Manley RBI-double to left center to take a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.

From there, things got interesting.

After back-to-back singles from Kim Woodard and Chloe Turnipseed off freshman Brittney McAllister to lead off the inning, LaGrange loaded the bases with no outs when Kristi Underwood reached on a fielder's choice.

Two batters later with one out in the inning, Dicie Holland singled to leftfield to score a pair of runs and cut the gap to 4-2 with runners on first and second. Ducks were on the pond again when Knight was hit by the McAllister delivery a batter later.

LaGrange cut the lead down to a run, 4-3, when all runners advanced a base on a wild pitch and pinch runner Emily Foster scored from third.

McAllister and the Majors settled down from there, retiring the final two batters on a foul fly to Manley and a pop fly to Sam Hill to preserve the all important road win.

After dropping her first two decisions, McAllister has now won two in a row for Millsaps to improve her mid-season record to 2-2.

Millsaps improves to 2-13 overall while LaGrange falls to 9-5.

Eight different batters recorded a hit for the Majors, including Manley (pictured) who went 3-for-4 from the plate with a pair of RBIs.

Millsaps will play its next nine games virtually at home, playing host to the Spring Softball Classic at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland March 16-18 and its conference-opener against Austin College March 24 and 25 on the campus of Millsaps.