ARKADELPHIA, Ark. --- The Mississippi College softball team has opened the 2015 season with a 3-1 record after sweeping the second day of the Ronnie Hawkins Invitational, hosted by Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University.
The Lady Choctaws saw their offense come alive on the second day of the tournament, defeating Lincoln (Mo.) by a score of 11-3 in the first game. They turned around and beat Missouri Southern State in the finale, 8-2.
Junior
Tori Bankston was the offensive star in the first game, going 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBI. Her first long ball came in the second inning and pushed MC's lead to 2-0.
After being held scoreless over the first three innings, Lincoln took the lead in the fourth inning with a two-run double from Lauren Stamp and a bases loaded walk by Megan Heimbaugh.
The Lady Choctaws wasted no time tying the game when junior
Ashley Subervielle scored senior
Shay Mickens with a sacrifice fly. Mickens finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Bankston helped MC put the game away in the sixth inning, belting her second home run of the contest, a two-run shot that scored senior
Macey Lee and gave MC a 5-3 lead. Sophomore
Megan Everett and junior
Madison Oliver each had two-run doubles in the inning, and the Lady Choctaws would walk away with the run-rule victory.
Freshman
Katherine Lee earned the victory in the circle in her first career appearance. She came out of the bullpen, relieving senior
Lacie Patterson, and held Lincoln hitless over 2.0 innings.
In the second game, it took MC's offense a little longer to get going, and an unearned run from Missouri Southern in the first inning had them with the lead until the fifth. That's when Bankston struck again with an RBI double that scored Oliver and tied the game, 1-1.
Junior
Carlie Sargent did not need much run support, as she held MSSU hitless over 5.0 innings and allowed just the one unearned run. She struck out four and finished the tournament with 12.0 innings pitched, 14 strikeouts and two victories.
The Lady Choctaws took the lead in the top of the sixth inning as junior
Lauren Mulligan came in to score on a wild pitch. Senior
Brooke Smitherman, who went 8-for-12 with three walks in the tournament, singled home two runs and gave MC a 4-1 lead.
Macey Lee extended the lead with a two-run double that scored
Katherine Lee and Subervielle. The Lady Choctaws would score two more runs on an error by Missouri Southern and took an 8-1 lead after their half of the sixth.
MSSU would hit a solo home run in the sixth, but senior
Elissa Kelly closed the game by pitching the final 2.0 innings and allowing just two hits.
