The Mississippi University for Women softball team made a fast start to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament this week, taking down Westminster College, 8-2, in the quarterfinals on Tuesday and continuing with a 4-2 win over No. 2 seed Greenville University on Thursday.
The Owls lost 4-2 on Friday to No. 1 Spalding University, striking out nine times against the hosts and setting up a rematch with Greenville with a berth in the championship game on the line. MUW only managed four hits against Spalding ace Sydney Schott and couldn’t capitalize on 6 Golden Eagle errors
The weather-delayed Thursday game ran late into the night, but The W led nearly the whole way after taking a first-inning lead. Anna Sandlin reached first thanks to a defensive error by the Panthers, advancing to second while leadoff hitter Emilee Slade was able to get home.
Riley Phillips added to the lead in the fifth with a two-run single into left field, getting both Sandlin and Slade home. The Panthers responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, but Brooklyn Rhodes answered with an insurance run on a sacrifice hit in the seventh to finish the game off.
Rhodes was lights out from the circle as well, striking out nine batters and allowing just one walk, two hits and two runs in 6.2 innings of work. Bailey McClellan came into the game to clean up in the final inning, getting the Owls over the line for the win.
The Greenville Panthers (33-4) have been a dominant force in Division III this season, but are now 1-2 against the Owls, who they will face again for a bid in the championship round.
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