HENDERSON, Tenn. (5/5) - MMC escaped elimination twice on Thursday, using a massive 10-1 victory to eliminate Mid-Continent University, and then a 2-1 thriller over Lyon College to advance to an 11am re-match with Cumberland University on Friday morning.
The RedHawks cruised to a 10-1 defeat of the Cougars in their first game of the day, collecting the chance to advance in just five innings. Katlin White (Sophomore/Alabaster, Ala.) allowed just three hits, striking out six batters.
MMC's first two runs scored off a double from Kandace Christopher (Junior/Attalla, Ala.), plating Amber Kinsey (Sophomore/Murfreesboro, Tenn.) who was on as a result of catcher's interference, and Sam Queen (Junior/Brentwood, Tenn.), who had reached on a base hit.
A double, this time from Kinsey, in the second inning again scored two more, this time Chae Ellis (Sophomore/Fayetteville, Tenn.) and White who had reached base on free passes. Christopher then smashed her second double of the game in the third, as Shelby Wallace (Sophomore/Pulaski, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch, both sacrificed over by Ezell. Nicole McWhorter (Senior/Manchester, Tenn.) collected the RBI off a sacrifice fly that scored Christopher, and Wallace then scored on an error.
With a 6-0 lead, the RedHawks used a fourth-inning four spot to seal the win when Megan McKean (Junior/Orlando, Fla.) led off with MMC's fourth double of the game. A Kinsey base hit, and a hit by pitch on Queen juiced the bases for Christopher who laced an RBI-single. Chrissy Worth (Junior/Cornersville, Tenn.) then cleared the bases and capped the game with a double to deep left-center field for an eventual 10-1 MMC win.
Lyon College struck first in the afternoon game, taking advantage of a leadoff single and two errors in the inning to put the first run on the scoreboard. The Scots held the 1-0 lead until the bottom of the third when Caroline Ezell (Freshman/Cornersville, Tenn.) started the inning with a double to left-centerfield fence. Ezell then scored the equalizer on McKean's sacrifice fly to right for a 1-1 score.
The teams were deadlocked until the bottom of the sixth, when Queen blasted a double that bounced off the top of the left-centerfield fence, narrowly missing a homerun. A single and a fielder's choice later, with runner's on the corners, MMC ran a first and third situation play in which Ellis drew a throw to second that allowed Christopher to score from third for the 2-1 lead.
Serving as the home team, MMC was left with just three outs in the top of the seventh to shut down the Scots and collect the victory. The RedHawks quickly used a groundout and a fly out to earn two outs, but a hit by pitch, a base hit, and a walk loaded the bases. White pushed through the jam, however, and worked to a full count before striking out the final batter on a rise ball to secure the win.
The RedHawks will seek redemption against Cumberland University on Friday morning at 11am, after falling to CU 10-11 on Wednesday.
