Clarksville, Ark. ?No. 14 Mississippi College scratched out a 4-2 game one win and then threw a one-hitter to secure a 13-0 game two win over the Lady Eagles in an American Southwest Conference double-header Friday.
Starter Stephany Henson kept the Choctaws (19-7, 5-5 ASC), who are ranked No. 14 in NCAA III, silent throughout the game and pitched well enough to get the win, but the visitors rallied from a 2-0 deficit to escape with a league victory. Ozarks (7-21, 1-13 ASC) gave Henson a 2-0 lead to work with after three innings of play. In the third, Ali Mathis doubled to center field to put herself in scoring position. Kelsey Mefford was then hit by a pitch and Nicole Ashley executed a sacrifice bunt to move both runners over. Rebecca Groff then delivered a big RBI single to center field to score Mathis. Henson helped her own cause by lacing a single to left field to increase Ozarks’ lead to 2-0. In the circle, Henson pitched four and one-third scoreless innings before the Choctaws hit back-to-back homers to tie the game. Mississippi College later scratched across a run in the sixth and a run in the seventh to secure the win. Mississippi College’s Lindsey Morris retired the side in the fifth, sixth and seven innings to keep the Lady Eagles from a late-inning rally.
Henson (4-10) mowed down four in seven innings of work.
Ozarks struggled in game two as it committed five errors in the first inning to allow the Choctaws to hold a quick 7-0 advantage. Ozarks could get little going offensively against a trio of Choctaw pitchers.
The three had a no-hitter for five and two-third innings before Sarah Otteman broke it up with a clean single to center field.
Starter Kelsey Mefford (2-6) took the loss.
The series continues tomorrow with a double-header starting at 12:00 p.m.
Topics: Athletics