OXFORD, Ala. --- The Mississippi College softball team picked up their second nationally-ranked upset of the day with a 2-1 win over #8 Valdosta State in the Gulf South Conference Tournament at Choccolocco Park.

The Lady Choctaws (20-19) will continue in the winner's bracket and will play again on Friday night with a chance to advance to the championship game on Saturday.
 

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MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 2, #8 VALDOSTA STATE 1

HOW IT HAPPENED
  - The game was scoreless over the first three innings as Avery Barnett and Samantha Richards dueled in the circle.
  - Senior Morgan Bradford gave the game its first offensive punch with a two-run home run in the 4th inning.
  - The Blazers loaded the bases in the 5th inning, but Avery Sanders was able to get a strikeout to end the threat.
  - MC had a chance to open up the score in the 6th as they loaded the bases, but Richards notched a pair of strikeouts to keep the score at 2-0.
  - The Blazers finally broke through in the 7th on an RBI single from Aniston Gano that scored Nicole Pennington.
  - VSU would then load the bases with two outs, but Sanders got Lacy Crandall to line out to end the contest.

KEY STATS
  - Barnett (10-5) gave up just three hits with four strikeouts in 4.2 innings against the high-powered Blazers.
  - Sanders shut the door for her first save of the year, giving up just one hit with four strikeouts over 2.2 innings.
  - LaFosse led the MC offense with two hits, while Bradford had the big blow with the two-run home run.
  - Richards, the GSC Pitcher of the Year, allowed five hits and two unearned runs with eight strikeouts in the complete game effort.

NEXT UP
  - The Lady Choctaws will be back in action at 6:00 p.m. on Friday night when they face the winner between UAH and West Georgia.
  - With a win, MC would advance to the championship game on Saturday.
 

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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 contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.