Mississippi University for Women’s softball team had mixed results in its first games at the 2022 United States Collegiate Athletic Association Small College World Series on Tuesday at Heindl Field in DuBois, Pennsylvania.
The Owls (15-19) knocked off No. 3 seed Penn State Brandywine 5-1 but then fell to No. 2 seed D’Youville University 6-2 in its evening game.
The loss dropped MUW into the elimination bracket, where they will play Carlow University at 9 a.m. Wednesday. To reach Thursday’s title game, the Owls would need to win three times on Wednesday.
In its game Tuesday morning — rescheduled from Monday because of weather — MUW got some key performances from its seniors. Amelia Stalter (5-6) tossed a complete game, allowing seven hits with 12 strikeouts and one walk.
Jessica Deming led off with a triple, and No. 2 hitter Megan Cummins promptly slapped a double that allowed Deming to score easily before an out had been recorded.
The Lions (32-12) knotted the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth, and that score stood heading into the final frame.
In the seventh with one out, Owls catcher Ashton Farnell was hit by a pitch. One out later, senior Katie Beth Williams reached on a throwing error to prolong the inning. A walk to senior Lauren Duckworth loaded the bases for Deming, who uncorked a grand slam over the fence in left-center field to give the Owls a 5-1 lead.
Stalter retired the Lions in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win.
The second-round contest against D’Youville (28-12) had a similar start but a much different ending. Cummins was hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the first. Junior second baseman Riley Phillips belted a triple that plated Cummins to again give MUW a 1-0 lead in its half of the first.
In the third, freshman designated player Rylie Grisham belted a solo homer to right-center that increased the cushion to 2-0.
But D’Youville got to Owls starter Kaitlyn Parrish for five runs in the fifth. Grisham came in to pitch and close down the uprising. The Saints added a run off Grisham in the fourth for the 6-2 final score.
Grisham was 2-for-3 to pace her team’s five-hit offense. She also had five strikeouts from the circle, as did Parrish.
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