MONTICELLO, Ark. — The Mississippi College softball team added another chapter to its record book Tuesday as senior pitcher Camryn Bailey became the program's all-time career wins leader, earning her 70th victory in a doubleheader sweep of University of Arkansas at Monticello at Ryburn Park.
Mississippi College (9-7-1) defeated UAM (7-10) 5-3 in the opener before securing a 7-3 victory in the nightcap.
Bailey's milestone win came in Game 1, as the Helena, Alabama native surpassed former Choctaw standout Tracey Brewer, who held the previous record of 69 career wins from 1987-90.
Entering in relief in the opener, Bailey delivered 1 1/3 scoreless innings to close out the contest. She allowed no hits and no runs while striking out one on just 17 pitches, sealing her 70th career victory and etching her name atop the program's all-time list.
The Choctaws took control early in Game 1. Madelyn England's single up the middle in the first inning plated two runs following a fielding error to give MC a 2-0 advantage. In the third, Ellie Fryar walked and later scored on a double from Shelby Samples to push the lead to 3-1.
Arkansas-Monticello tied the contest in the fifth with a two-run homer, but MC responded in the seventh. Fryar worked another walk and advanced to third before Mary Lem delivered a clutch single to center, driving in two runs for the decisive 5-3 margin.
Grace Wallis started in the circle, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Bailey's dominant relief appearance preserved the historic victory.
The Choctaws carried that momentum into Game 2, claiming a 7-3 win behind timely hitting and aggressive base running.
Fryar opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning. In the second, Hadley Lemons reached and later scored, while Samples added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0. Lydia Bethards provided the big swing in the fourth with a two-run homer, stretching the advantage to 5-1.
Bethards added an RBI single in the sixth to score Sarah Lee, and Kallee Nichols doubled home Samples in the seventh to cap the scoring.
Reagan Rios tossed a complete game in the nightcap, scattering five hits and allowing three runs, two earned, over seven innings. The junior struck out eight and walked one, throwing 71 strikes among her 119 pitches.
Bethards finished Game 2 with three RBIs, while Fryar homered and scored once. Samples drew two walks and stole two bases as the Choctaws swiped five bags in the contest.
Bailey's record-setting career has also included some of the most dominant single-season performances in program history. She owns the top single-season mark with 26 wins in 2024 and is tied for third with 24 victories in 2023. The program's top single-season win totals are:
With 70 career wins and counting, Bailey now stands alone in Mississippi College softball history, leading a Choctaw squad that continues to build momentum with more conference play at home this weekend versus Union.
