JACKSON, Miss. - The Austin College softball team came up just short twice in their doubleheader against Millsaps on Saturday, falling 8-7 in game one and 13-11 in game two against the Majors. The 'Roos are now 0-4 on the season.
In game one, Joli Kirkpatrick and Faith Butler each brought home a run in the top of the first to put the 'Roos ahead 2-0 early, but the Majors would get one run in the second and two more in the third to surge ahead 3-2. Austin College took the lead back in the fourth, with Chyrsi Hemby doubling home a pair of runs to make it a 4-3 game. Millsaps squared things up in the bottom half of the inning, and three runs came across for the Majors in the fifth to make it a 7-4 game.
Kalee Rush brought home a run in the sixth to make it 7-5, but the Majors responded with a run of their own to make it 8-5 heading into the final inning. In the top of the seventh, Taylor Levan scored on an error and Lyndsey Busch doubled home a run to cut it to 8-7, but that's where the comeback bid would end.
Allie Jeter took the loss for Austin College, surrendering five runs - four earned - on six hits in 3.0 innings of work. Hemby went 2-for-2 at the plate, and Elizabeth Preston finished the game 2-for-3 to pace the 'Roos offensively. Brianna Newman went 3-for-4 with four RBI and also earned the complete game win for Millsaps.
Austin College once again jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning in game two, with Busch bringing home a pair of runs. Millsaps got one run back in the bottom of the inning, but Preston brought home a run in the second to make it 3-1. The 'Roos exploded for seven runs in the top of the third to make it 10-1, with Kaitlyn Barrett blasting a grand slam to cap off the huge offensive inning. Millsaps got three runs back in the bottom half of the inning to make it 10-4, and after Preston added another RBI in the fourth to make it 11-4, the Majors erupted for six runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut it to an 11-10 game.
The Majors would take the lead with three runs in the fifth, and would not relinquish it over the game's final two innings. AD Smith took the loss for Austin College, giving up four runs - three earned - on three hits in 1.1 innings of work in relief, while Preston finished 4-for-4 to lead the 'Roos offensively. Katie Norris paced Millsaps at the dish, going 2-for-3 with four RBI and a double.