CLINTON, Miss. --- The #25 Mississippi College softball team split a Saturday doubleheader with Delta State at the MC Softball Complex.

The Lady Choctaws (37-12, 18-9 GSC) opened the day with a 3-0 victory, while the Lady Statesmen (22-22, 12-17 GSC) bounced back with an 8-5 win in the nightcap.
 

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GAME ONE: #25 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 3, DELTA STATE 0

HOW IT HAPPENED

>> The Lady Choctaws got all the offense they would need in the second inning when freshman Gracie Trahan hit a two-out, two-run home run to make the score 2-0.
>> The Lady Statesmen loaded the bases in the third inning, but senior Cori Cooper struck out Jordan Jones to end the threat.
>> MC would tack on a run in the fifth when junior Shayla McKissock touched the plate after a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Kayla Murphy was fumbled at first base.
>> DSU would put a runner on base in the seventh, but Cooper got a groundout to end the game.

KEY STATS

>> Cooper (12-7) struck out nine with one walk over the shutout effort.
>> She pitched around six hits as she coaxed eight flyouts and four groundouts.
>> MC tallied only two hits in the game, including the two run shot by Trahan.
>> Nicole Fullilove (12-13) tossed all 6.0 innings for DSU, allowing just two hits and no earned runs.
>> Six different Lady Statesmen tallied a base knock on the night.
 

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GAME TWO: DELTA STATE 8, #25 MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 5

HOW IT HAPPENED

>> The second game started off with a nice moment as senior Adrianna Morgan started the game in the circle after missing most of the season due to injury. She was able to face one batter before being removed from the game.
>> The Lady Choctaws opened the scoring in the second as Trahan and freshman Annemarie Peavy drew bases loaded walks to make the score 2-0.
>> The Lady Statesmen came back in the third with three runs as the go-ahead run crossed home plate on one of MC's three errors in the game.
>> McKissock tied the game up for MC in the third as she singled home junior Carly Crawford with two outs to knot the game at 3-3.
>> MC grabbed the lead back in the fourth inning as Peavy hit her sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot that put the Lady Choctaws ahead 5-3.
>> DSU had their big inning of the day in the fifth as they put up five runs on six hits, including three RBI singles that would give them their largest lead of the game.
>> MC would load the bases in the fifth and notch baserunners in the sixth and seventh but nothing would come across as DSU held on for the victory.

KEY STATS

>> McKissock led the MC offense, going 3-for-3 and eaching base all four times, driving in a run on the night.
>> Peavy led the way with three RBI, including the two-run home run, and two walks.
>> Freshman Hannah Creel (16-4) allowed five earned runs over 4.1 innings to take the loss in the circle
>> Sophomore Madi Lancaster tossed 2.2 scoreless innings to close it out and keep MC in the game.
>> Mari Alex Sandridge (8-6) grabbed the win in relief, tossing 1.0 inning after Peavy's two-run home run.
>> Fullilove tallied her second save of the season by pitching 3.0 scoreless inning to complete the game.
>> Three Lady Statesmen had multiple hits in the game, led by Kelly Byrd, who went 4-for-5 with two runs scored.
 

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NEXT UP

>> The teams will wrap up the regular season on Sunday with a single game at 2:00 p.m. at the MC Softball Complex.
>> The Lady Choctaws will recognize five DSU seniors playing in their final regular season contests prior to the game.
>> MC's "Senior Day" festivities will take place immediately following the completion of the game.
>> The Lady Choctaws will recogniize eight senior players (Cori Cooper, Shelby Miller, Alexia Harmon, Penny Nichols, Kristen Qualls, Adrianna Morgan, Makenzie Nieto and Brianna Caldwell) and their team manager (Macy Riley).
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC 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.