COLUMBUS, Miss. – Senior catcher Avery Benson (Hatley, Miss.) laced a one-out single in the bottom of the 11th inning to drive home the winning run in Mississippi University for Women's 4-3 non-conference win over Wright State University-Lake Campus at CCA Field. The victory by the Owls (4-1) over the Lakers (4-3), was MUW's third-consecutive win.
 
Down 3-0 after WSULC plated three unearned runs in the third, MUW was able to claw its way back, beginning with an RBI single in the fourth by Austin Telano. Telano's hit plated Baron Brack, who had reached on a WSULC throwing error, to make it 3-1. 
 
With both teams receiving solid pitching efforts, especially from the bullpens, that score stood for the next three innings. With its opportunities running down, the Owls inched closer in the eighth and sent the contest into extras in the ninth. In that eighth, a one-out double by Matthew Windham – followed by a wild pitch – set the stage for Brack's RBI groundout that cut the deficit to 3-2.
 
In the ninth frame, the Lakers threatened to break open the game after a one-out double and a walk. But Jackson Gantt – the eventual pitcher of record – came on to get the final two outs.
 
In the Owls' final at-bats of regulation, Landon Clark slapped a lead-off single through the left side of the infield and would advance to second on a wild pitch. Benson helped set the stage for his upcoming heroics with a fly ball to right that allowed the speedy Clark to tag up and advance to third. Down to their final out, the Owls' Johnny Setchfield was hit by a pitch and then stole second.
 
With two runners in scoring position, senior Loren Cox was called on to pinch hit. Cox smacked a single to centerfield, easily scoring Clark. The aggressive Owls' sent Setchfield home as well, but the MUW outfielder was cut down at the plate on a perfect throw to send the game into the 10th inning.
 
WSULC had the potential go-ahead run in scoring position in both the 10th and 11th innings – including loading the bases in the latter – only to have Gantt pitch out of the jams.
 
In the MUW 11th, Telano coaxed a leadoff walk from Lakers' reliever Tom Sheets. Clark then fouled out to the catcher trying to bunt Telano into scoring position. But, with Tyler Estabrook at the plate, Sheets helped the Owls' cause on an errant pickoff throw to first that permitted Telano to scamper all the way to third as th ball rolled well into foul territory. Telano walked to set the stage for Benson's game-winning knock up the middle.
 
Benson finished the evening 2-for-5. He was the only MUW player with multiple hits, as the Owls managed seven hits overall.
 
Gantt got the win to improve to 3-0 – in three appearances – this season. He threw 2.2 innings, struck out three, walked one, and gave up one hit in his scoreless relief stint.
 
MUW starter Robby Canten, although not figuring in the decision, had a good outing, as well. Canten went 5.0 innings, scattering four hits and not surrendering an earned run. He struck out seven Lakers.
 
Canten was followed by a gutsy 3.1 innings of work by Connor Reilly. Reilly struck out four and walked just two. He allowed three of WSULC's eight hits.
 
The same two teams will play a Saturday doubleheader at CCA Field, beginning at 1 p.m., to conclude the three-game series.