SEWANEE, Tenn. – Mississippi University for Women softball lost a pair of tight ball games on the road versus Sewanee: The University of the South on Saturday afternoon. The Owls (12-14) were defeated 6-5 in eight innings and then dropped game two, 11-10, in a seventh-inning walk-off by the Tigers.
In the first bout of the day, The W came from two runs down to tie it at 5-5 in their final at-bats of regulation.
Kaylee Quimby led off with a single and was advanced to third when
Riley Phillips followed with a double to left. With one out,
Rylie Grisham slammed a single that drove home both Quimby and Phillips to knot the game.
After the Tigers failed to score, the teams went to the eighth inning and the international tie-breaker. With Jaelyn Palmer placed on second, MUW had a single by
Makalyn Cowley and
Katie Beth Williams was hit by a pitch to load the bases. But the Owls failed to score.
In its turn in the eighth, Sewanee got a runner to third with two out. Grisham induced a ground ball to shortstop, but a fielding error allowed the winning run to cross the plate, 6-5.
Cowley had the big bat in game one, going 3-for-4 (including a double) and driving in two. Quimby and
Anna Sandlin each went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Palmer was 2-for-3 with a run, as well.
It was a similar scenario in game two, as The W fought back from what was a 9-3 deficit after three innings. MUW got three in the fourth inning and three in the sixth to tie it at 9-9.
In the top of the seventh, Sandlin singled and was sacrificed to second. Pinch hitter
Megan Cummins – on the seventh pitch of her at-bat - laced a single up the middle that allowed Sandlin to score the go-ahead run, 10-9.
In its half of the seventh, the Tigers got a runner to second base with two out. Grisham hit the next batter and that was followed by a game-tying single. Another hit batter loaded the bases and a single to right plated the winning run, 11-10.
Williams led the Owls' 15-hit attack by going 3-for-4, with two runs scored and driving in a pair, as well.
Jasmine Shaw and
Ashton Farnell had identical lines of 2-for-3 with two scored and an RBI.
Sandlin ended the game with a 2-for-4 ledger and two runs. Philips and Grisham each went 2-for-4, with Phillips driving in one. Quimby was 0-for-3, but had two RBI.
Grisham was the losing pitcher for both games in relief.
The W will travel to Agnes Scott College on Sunday for an 11 a.m. (CT) doubleheader. She amassed 3.0 and 3.1 innings, respectively.
