CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College softball team clinched their first berth in the Gulf South Conference Tournament since 1995 with a doubleheader split against #16 Alabama Huntsville on Saturday afternoon at the MC Softball Complex.

The Lady Choctaws (27-17, 18-9 GSC) used an unearned run in the seventh to get a walk-off 1-0 win in the opener, while the Chargers (32-13, 18-9 GSC) cruised to a 9-2 victory in the finale.
 

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GAME ONE: Mississippi College 1, #16 UAH 0

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Sophomore Adrianna Morgan and senior Emily Glover locked horns in a pitcher's duel, tossing 13 scoreless half-innings and allowing just six hits and no earned runs combined.
- The Lady Choctaws did not get their first hit until the third inning when senior Lauren Mulligan singled through the left side of the infield. She would steal second but would be stranded to end the frame.
- The Chargers' best chance to score came in the fourth when they put runners on first and second with two outs, but Morgan was able to get out of the jam.
- They would get a runner to third in the top of the seventh, but a lineout to left fielder Megan Everett ended the threat.
- In the bottom of the seventh, freshman Carly Crawford led the things off with a double and a bunt single by sophomore Kristen Qualls put runners on the corners with no outs.
- After an intentional walk to sophomore Alexia Harmon to load the bases, pinch-hitter Shelby Miller grounded into a fielder's choice and Mulligan struck out, setting up senior Haley Thompson at the plate with two outs and the bases juiced.
- Thompson sent a chopper up the center of the diamond and the ball was fumbled at second base, allowing freshman pinch-runner Brister Curry to score the game-winning run.

KEY STATS
- Morgan (5-5) gave up just three hits and struck out five with just one walk over the seven-inning shutout effort.
- Glover (14-4) allowed just three hits and the one unearned run with five strikeouts and three walks over 6.2 innings.
- Erin Jewell of UAH led all players with two hits in the game.
 

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GAME TWO: #16 UAH 9, Mississippi College 2

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Chargers wasted no time getting all the offense they would need as Glover hit a grand slam with one out in the opening inning, giving UAH a 4-0 lead.
- The Lady Choctaws answered with a bases loaded walk by Qualls in the first that scored Thompson, and sophomore Makenzie Nieto singled home senior Tylan Buckley in the third, but MC could not muster any more offense.
- Kaitlyn Bannister hit her 15th home run of the season in the fifth inning, and the Chargers added three in the sixth and one in the seventh to give the game its final score.

KEY STATS
- Thompson led the MC offense with two hits and a run scored, while Buckley had a double and a run scored. Nieto and Qualls each finished with one RBI in the game.
- Freshman Jordan Holifield (4-3) took the loss for MC, giving up the first-inning grand slam.
- Junior Kristen Gardner came out of the bullpen and tossed 6.2 innings, allowing seven hits and five earned runs.
- Jewell and Ashley Cornell paced the UAH offense with two hits apiece, while Shannon Long scored twice and Glover led the way with four RBI.
- Tyler Harrison (13-7) got the win, striking out five and allowing six hits and two earned runs over the complete-game effort.
 

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NEXT UP
- The Lady Choctaws will hit the road for the final time in the 2017 regular season when they head to Cleveland, Tenn. for a three-game series with Lee University, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 22nd.
 

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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.