SOFTBALL: Mississippi College sweeps doubleheader from YellowJackets
CLINTON, Miss. – After heavy rains delayed the start times Thursday, the Lady Choctaws of Mississippi College completed a season sweep of LeTourneau by defeating the YellowJackets by scores of 5-1 and 14-1.
The YellowJackets (20-18) ended American Southwest Conference play with a record of 9-15. The Lady Choctaws (29-9, 16-6 ASC East) swept a doubleheader from LeTourneau in Longview last month.
Mississippi College's Kim Mason allowed one earned run over six innings to get the win in game one and improve her season record to 9-2. She struck out four LeTourneau hitters.
Kelsie Mercer-Stephenson (Baytown, Texas/Sterling) pitched six innings and took the loss for the YellowJackets. She scattered eight hits and struck out two batters as her season record fell to 12-12.
Defensive lapses behind her played a role in the defeat as only two of Mercer-Stephenson's five runs given up were earned.
Kali Behrens (Montgomery, Texas/Montgomery) knocked in the lone LeTourneau run in the top of the fifth with an RBI single that scored Kayla Blucher (San Antonio, Texas/Reagan). Blucher started the two-out rally with a single and then moved to second after Christin Mickelboro (Longview, Texas/Longview) walked.
Mickelboro, whose .445 batting average leads the YellowJackets and ranks fifth in the American Southwest Conference, was given few pitches to hit as she walked twice in game one.
In the nightcap, the Lady Choctaws ceded the first run of the game to LeTourneau then scored 14 unanswered runs to win the game after five innings.
Mississippi College broke 1-1 tie after one inning by scoring six in the bottom of the second and four more in the bottom of the third to take an 11-1 lead. Sarah Finch accumulated eight RBIs for the Lady Choctaws.
Taylor Thibodeaux (Angleton, Texas/Angleton) absorbed the loss for the YellowJackets and fell to 6-3 for the season.
Blucher again scored the lone run for the YellowJackets in game two, scoring from third base in the top of the first on a single by Kirsten Warner (Pflugerville, Texas/Hendrickson). Blucher had reached base on a single, moved to second on a hit by Behrens and then stole third base.
Both Blucher and Warner collected two base hits in the game.
The YellowJackets conclude their season Tuesday when they host the University of Dallas in a doubleheader at the LETU Softball Field. The first game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time.
The Jackets will honor their two four-year seniors, Mercer Stephenson and Jerrica Cepak (Terrell, Texas/Terrell), and Blucher, a third-year player who will also graduate in May.
