The W’s softball team split a doubleheader with Stillman College in its last home doubleheader of the season on Tuesday.
The Owls (19-8) ripped the Jaguars 11-2 in the first game, then dropped the second game by a 2-0 score.
In game one, the Owls were able to produce at the plate and senior left-handed pitcher Madison Scoggin excelled on the mound for a 9-1 win over the Tigers.
Following a first inning that saw the Tigers put up three hits for a run and the Owls answer with a run on two hits, the two teams entered the second inning tied at one. A single to the pitcher, a stolen base, and an advance on a ground out to put Anna Lloyd in scoring position for The W. With just one out, Emily Littlejohn doubled to center field to bring Lloyd home for the RBI. Senior outfielder Kandler Flora stepped to the plate and singled to the pitcher and then stole second to put runners on the second and third.
Leadoff hitter Heidi Matthews singled on a bunt to load the bases and Bailee Watts took a hit to the shoulder to bring Littlejohn in and give the Owls a 3-1 advantage.
Still, with the bases loaded, Kristen Martin singled to center field to allow Flora to score. Ending the scoring effort in the inning, Carolyn “Kendall” Wilkinson was credited with an RBI on a groundout to push The W lead to 5-1.
In the third, Scoggin went through three batters to retire the top half and the Owls continued to connect against Yarbrough to extend their lead. Madison James was the first at the plate for the Owls in the inning. She connected with the ball to single to left field. With one out, Flora singled up the middle and James advanced to second then advanced to third on a throwing error by the shortstop. Now in striking distance of home plate, James scored on a throwing error by Stillman’s second baseman.
Flora came home on a ground-out and Kristen Martin singled for an RBI to bring the Owls total runs in the inning to three for an 8-1 lead.
On the mound, Scoggin collected her 10th win of the season. The Bay Springs native pitched the entire 5-inning game for three strikeouts, three hits against, one walk, and one earned run.
At the plate, Kristen Martin led the Owls with a 2-for-2 appearance for three RBIs.
In game two, the Tigers produced single runs in two different frames and held the Owls scoreless as the team fell 2-0 to split the day.
The W once again started Scoggin, who squared off against Ragen Yarbrough. Each thrower kept the bats relatively quiet in the first two innings for a scoreless start.
In the top of the third, Tayla Stowes for Stillman doubled and then stole third. With two outs, Yarbrough doubled to left field to allow Stowes to score the first run of the game.
Three more innings went by without incident until Tiger first baseman Dallas Payton singled to left field to bring Shakira Doss home.
With a 2-0 win over The W, Stillman collected its fourth shutout victory of the season.
Pitching in her second game of the day, Scoggin pitched 4.0 inning for three strikeouts, five hits against, and one earned run.
At the plate, Anna Lloyd led the Owls with a 2-for-3 appearance.
Up next: The Owls will return to action on April 10, when The W travels to Talladega College for a midweek doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 2 p.m.
OLE MISS 11, BELMONT 2: In Nashville, Tenn., a six-run third inning helped carry No. 18 Ole Miss (25-9) to a run-rule victory at Belmont (19-15).
Starter Ava Tillmann earned her sixth win of the season after throwing four innings, allowing one run on just four hits, and striking out a pair. Anna Borgen finished things off, tossing the final frame with no hits or walks surrendered.
Following a slight delay in the start of the game, there was no delay in Ole Miss cracking the scoreboard in the first. After Abbey Latham ripped an infield single to first base, Brittany Finney hammered a 1-1 offering way past the fence in right-center, putting the Rebels ahead 2-0 early.
After a scoreless second, the Rebs broke things open in the third. Latham got the scoring started with a double to right-center, bringing home Mikayla Allee from second. Latham came around to score on a fielding error at short before Kaylee Horton spanked a single up the middle to bring home two more runs. Amanda Roth rounded out scoring for the frame, cranking out her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to center.
Becker used some heads up base running to extend the Rebel lead to nine in the fourth, scoring all the way from second on a double play ground out. Belmont got the run right back in the home half, with Audrey Lyle registering an RBI single to break up the shutout.
Scoring for the evening concluded in the top of the fifth as Izzy Werdann drilled a double to right field, scoring a pair of runs to bring the score to 11-2. Borgen came in for the fifth and retired the side quickly, wrapping up the run rule victory for the Rebels.
Ole Miss will remain on the road this weekend, traveling to Lexington, Kentucky, to take on No. 22 Kentucky Friday through Sunday.
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