JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi University for Women won its second-consecutive game – and third out of four outings in the young 2024 season – by dispatching of regional-rival Millsaps College, 7-8, at Twenty Field. The Owls improved to 3-1 heading into this Friday's home opener, while the Majors fell to 4-3 overall.
With both teams "pitching by committee" – MUW used five pitchers and Millsaps deployed eight hurlers – it was the guests who were best armed, especially in the latter stages of the game. Starter
Loren Cox was followed by
Chris Ellis in the third, with the duo charged with four of the five MC runs. The W's final three mound men did not permit an earned run or walk a batter over the final six frames.
Josh Mackey threw the fourth and fifth innings to earn his first win of the year. He was followed by
Connor Reilly's 3.0 inning stint.
Jackson Gantt tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his first save as an Owl.
MUW scored in each of the first two innings. In the first,
Landon Clark (2-4) and
Baron Brack (2-4) each had RBI singles. An unearned run in the second gave The W a 3-0 advantage.
The Majors rallied in their half of the third inning to plate four runs and take the lead.
But the Owls were undeterred, wresting the lead back in the top of the fourth, loading the bases thanks to thirdbaseman
Baker Watson (0-3) being hit by a pitch, a
Matthew Windham (1-4, 2 runs) bunt single, and a walk to Brack. A pair of sacrifice flies from
Austin Telano (0-3) and
Tyler Estabrook (0-3) gave MUW the precarious 5-4 lead.
That score stood until the top of the seventh, when rightfielder
Johnny Setchfield (1-4) gave The W some insurance it would need. Setchfield drilled his team-leading second home run in the seventh, plating
Avery Benson (1-3), as well, to make it 7-4.
Reilly surrendered an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh for the final 7-5 score.
MUW will host Wright State-Lake Campus on Friday (Feb. 23/6 p.m.) at Columbus Christian Academy. The teams will also play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
