DECATUR, Miss. — Mississippi College opened Gulf South Conference play with a pair of tight victories over No. 25 Montevallo, earning a 3-2 extra-inning win at East Central Community College before rallying for a 6-5 victory later in the day.
The Choctaws improved to 7-6-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while Montevallo fell to 11-2 overall and 0-2 in the GSC.
In the opener, Mississippi College used timely hitting and a dominant performance in the circle from Camryn Bailey to secure a 3-2 win in eight innings.
Montevallo struck first with a run in the second, but the Choctaws answered in the third when Shelby Samples doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Mary Lem to tie the game at 1-1. The Falcons regained the lead on a solo home run in the fourth before Bailey responded with a solo shot of her own to even the score at 2-2.
The game remained tied until the eighth inning, when Lydia Bethards, pinch-running for Lem, scored the winning run on a double by Hadley Lemons.
Bailey was outstanding, tossing a complete-game two-hitter over eight innings while striking out seven and allowing just one earned run. At the plate, Samples recorded two doubles, while Lem and Lemons each drove in a run.
In game two, Mississippi College rallied from a late deficit to claim a 6-5 victory.
After Montevallo scored first in the third, the Choctaws answered with three runs, highlighted by a three-RBI double from Samples that scored Bella Myers, Ellie Fryar and Morgan Lavergne.
The Falcons battled back to tie the game in the fourth and took a 5-3 lead with two runs in the fifth. Mississippi College responded in the sixth as Samples reached base and Madisyn Matheis drew a walk to set up Lemons, who delivered a two-run double. Blakely Gill followed with an RBI single to give the Choctaws the lead for good at 6-5.
The MC defense held firm in the seventh to secure the sweep.
R. Rios worked 4 2/3 innings in the start, inducing 11 groundouts, while G. Wallis earned the win in relief with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out one.
Samples led the offense again with two hits and three RBIs. Lemons drove in two runs with a double, Gill added two hits and an RBI, and Fryar contributed a double while recording five assists at shortstop.
Mississippi College will look to complete the series sweep Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch against the nationally ranked Falcons at East Central Community College in Decatur.
