JACKSON, Tenn. --- The Mississippi College softball team came back from a tough loss in the opener of a doubleheader to grab a 9-6 win over Union University on Sunday afternoon at Fesmire Softball Field.

The Lady Choctaws (11-11, 5-6 GSC) dropped the first game to the Bulldogs (14-9, 4-7 GSC) by a score of 16-6.
 

---

GAME ONE: Union 16, MC 6 (5 Innings)

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Lady Choctaws opened the scoring in the first game as senior Haley Thompson walked, stole second and came home to score on an RBI single by senior Tylan Buckley.
- With MC leading 1-0, the Bulldogs answered with eight runs on just one hit in their half of the first to grab a commanding lead.
- Three MC pitchers combined to walk 10 hitters in the first frame.
- Union extended the lead in the second with more MC help as they posted five runs with the help of three MC errors.
- Ashley Scott's three-run triple was the big blow of the inning, driving in three unearned runs.
- The teams traded runs in the third and fourth innings as sophomore Makenzie Nieto singled home junior Katherine Lee to cut the lead to 13-2.
- Trailing 14-2 in the fourth, senior Lauren Mulligan doubled home a run and Lee singled home Mulligan to cut the score to 14-4.
- After the Bulldogs added two more runs in their half of the fourth, sophomore Kristen Qualls led off the fifth inning with her third home run of the season.
- Following Qualls, freshman Carly Crawford hit her first career home run, but the Bulldogs would walk away with the 16-6 win.

KEY STATS
- Lee led the Lady Choctaws with two hits, while six different MC batters drove in a run in the game.
- Senior Megan Everett and Mulligan each tallied doubles, while Qualls and Crawford homered to give MC four extra-base hits in the game.
- Sophomore Penny Nichols (5-5) took the loss for MC, while Hannah Ridolfi (8-4) was the winner for Union.
- Scott led the Bulldog offensive attack with two hits and five RBI.
 

---

GAME TWO: MC 9, Union 6

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Bulldogs got the scoring going in the second inning as the put an unearned run on the board on a fielder's choice to score Paige Robertson.
- The Lady Choctaws used a two-out rally in the third inning to grab their first lead of the day as Thompson singled to lead things off and stole second but remained in scoring position after two outs.
- Qualls would go deep again to give MC a 2-1 lead as she hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season.
- After Nieto singled and Crawford walked, sophomore Alexia Harmon doubled to right-center field and score both to take a 4-1 lead.
- Everett capped off the five-run frame with a single to center field to score Harmon and MC led 5-1.
- Union, however, would answer with four runs of their own in the third inning and the score was tied after three frames.
- MC would answer back themselves in the fourth as Lee and Buckley came home to score on a Union error, giving the Lady Choctaws a 7-5 lead.
- Crawford dealt the big blow with her second long ball of the day to left field to grab the 9-5 advantage.
- Union would score a run after a leadoff triple in the fourth, but Nichols (6-5) would retire 12 of the final 13 hitters to close out the 9-6 win for MC.

KEY STATS
- Nieto helped lead the MC offense with three hits and two runs scored.
- Five different Lady Choctaws had multiple-hit games for MC (Thompson, Lee, Qualls and Harmon).
- Nieto and Harmon each had a team-high two runs scored in the win.
- Sophomore Adrianna Morgan started the game for MC in the circle, giving up two hits and two earned runs over 2.1 innings.
- Nichols allowed three hits and three earned runs over 4.2 innings pitched.
- No one for Union had more than one hit, while Robertson had a team-high two runs scored.
- Gabby Morris (4-4) took the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing 10 hits and seven earned runs over 3.2 innings pitched.
 

---

NEXT UP
- The teams are scheduled to wrap up the series on Monday at 1:00 p.m. at Fesmire Softball Field. The schedule is subject to be changed with threats of inclement weather in the area.
 

---

Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC is recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
 
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
 
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.