COLUMBUS, Miss. – After being frustrated in its first three games of the Owls Invitational softball tournament, the Mississippi University for Women's softball team closed out the round-robin, two-day event with a 4-1 win over Agnes Scott College at Don Usher Field on Sunday. The Owls came out of their tourney with a 6-4 record, overall.
 
In Saturday's action, MUW fell to perennial NCAA III power Washington University in St. Louis, 6-3, and blew a five-run lead versus Agnew Scott College in a 10-8 setback. On Sunday, the W was run-ruled by the WUSTL Bears (10-2), before bouncing back to top the Scotties.
 
"I'm happy that we finished the weekend with a good clean win tonight," The W head coach Buddy Foster said. "We had trouble all weekend with consistent pitching and defense, but finally did that tonight. For the most part, we were pretty good offensively. We will get back to work to shore some things up on defense and be ready for Tuesday (at home versus Louisiana College)."
 
In Saturday's bout versus WUSTL, The W scored a run in the bottom of the first, only to see the Bears tally six unanswered runs in the third through sixth innings. Lauren Duckworth went 2-for-2 to account for one-third of the Owls' total hit production. Riley Phillips was 1-for-3, with a home run, and two runs batted in. Senior Kaitlyn Parrish took the loss in the circle. Parrish went 4.0 innings and was charged with five runs (four earned).
  
 In the Saturday tilt against Agnes Scott, the Owls saw an 8-3 cushion after four innings evaporate by game's end, as the Scotties scored three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. Starter Amelia Stalter was tagged for five earned runs, allowing nine hits. Jade Rushing followed could only get one out and gave up two runs. Rylie Grisham was The W's third pitcher and was saddled with the loss, going 1.2 innings and charged with three runs (two earned). Grisham did go 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI and a walk, while Phillips was 2-for-4 with a run.
 
Sunday's rematch against the Bears began well, but quickly turned sour for The W. In the bottom of the first, the Owls had Jessica Deming get a leadoff single. With one out, Phillips and Madison Crosby laced back-to-back doubles that produced a pair of runs for the hosts.
 
But those three first inning hits would be all that MUW would get the rest of the way. Meanwhile, WUSTL plated two runs in both the second and third innings, before a six-run fourth provided the rest of its runs. Stalter was the losing pitcher, going 3.0 innings.
 
In the tournament capper with Agnes Scott, both teams would score all of their runs in the first inning. Parrish gave Foster an outstanding 7.0 inning complete-game win. Parrish scattered six hits by the Scotties and allowed one unearned run. She struck out three and did not walk a batter, as she improved her personal record to 2-1 on the year.
 
With one out in the first, and trailing 1-0, Duckworth was hit by a pitch and stole second, followed by a Crosby walk. Kaylee Quimby hit an RBI single to drive home Duckworth, before a throwing error from centerfield allowed Crosby to cross the plate, as well. Jaelynn, who was 1-for-3, would slap a two-run triple later in the inning to make it 4-1.