MOBILE, Ala. --- The Mississippi College softball team opened the 2021 season with a pair of defeats at the UM Classic on Friday (Jan. 29), hosted by the University of Mobile.
The Choctaws dropped a nail-biter to the homestanding Rams in the opener, 3-2. In the nightcap, #19 Lubbock Christian picked up a 5-0 victory.
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GAME ONE: MOBILE 3, MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
 - The Rams got on the board first in the second inning when an error chased a run home to make the score 1-0.
 - MC answered back in the top of the third as freshman
McCall Lee doubled home junior
Annemarie Peavy to knot the score at 1-1.
 - After the Lady Choctaws got the opening two outs of the fifth inning, the Rams loaded the bases and scored a pair of runs on base on balls to grab the lead at 3-1.
 - The lead remained at two until the seventh inning when sophomore
Rayne Minor led off with a single, stole second and scored on a double off the wall by sophomore
Jordan LaFosse.
 - Trailing by just one, junior
Mallory Little singled through the left side, but LaFosse was caught trying to score the game-tying run for the final out.
KEY STATS
 - Senior
Avery Sanders allowed just one hit over 6.0 innings and struck out 10 batters, but 11 walks helped give the Rams their three runs.
 - Minor and LaFosse each had a pair of hits, while Minor and Peavy scored the two runs.
 -
Mackenzie Collins went 1-for-1 with a pair of walks in the contest.
 - Jaden Morace had the lone hit for Mobile and scored two of the three runs.
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GAME TWO: #19 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN 5, MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
 - In the second game, the Chaparrals took advantage of three MC errors and a great pitching performance from Taylor Franco.
 - LCU scored the eventual game-winning run in the first inning as Savannah Wysocki scored on an error to grab the 1-0 lead.
 - MC threatened in the second as they put together a walk and back-to-back hits from
Morgan Bradford and
Gracie Trahan, but Collins was cut down at the plate to end the inning.
 - The Chaparrals put the game away in the third with three runs on four hits and an MC error, pushing the lead out to 4-0.
 - The Lady Choctaws put a pair of runners on to lead off the sixth, but LCU would hang on for the shutout victory.
KEY STATS
 - The Lady Choctaws picked up four hits in the game, but they fell victim to 12 strikeouts from Franco, who tossed the complete game with just four hits and two walks allowed.
 -
Avery Barnett went the distance for MC, allowing seven hits and five earned runs with three strikeouts.
 - Wysocki led LCU with three hits, two runs scored and two RBI in the victory.
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NEXT UP
 - The Lady Choctaws will play on more game on Saturday when they face Mobile again at 11:00 a.m.
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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 began competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.
The athletic department sponsors 18 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Men's and Women's 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 contactÂ
David Nichols at 601-925-3234 orÂ
nichols@mc.edu.
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