April 26, 2008

DANVILLE, Ky. – After falling to No. 1-ranked DePauw University in a winner’s bracket game, 3-1, in its first competition of the day, Millsaps rallied to score three runs in the final two innings to knock off host Centre College 6-4 in an elimination game to advance to the SCAC title game for the first time since 2004.

Millsaps (20-13) gave DePauw a run for its money in the opening game of the day, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first off freshman Karoline Kremers’ RBI single to short before leaving runners stranded on second and third to end the inning.

Starting hurler Kasey Thibodeaux (8-6) cruised through the opening two innings in the circle for the Majors, surrendering just one hit, prior to Emma Minx bringing the Tigers even at 1-1 on a leadoff home run to center in the third. Rachel Gill’s RBI single to right four batters later scored Brianne Weeks and gave DePauw a 2-1 advantage.

A 1-run lead was enough for All-American Megan Soultz, as the sophomore gave up only one hit the final six innings while striking out five to pick up her nation-leading 31st win of the year. Soultz retired 12-straight batters at one point and her offense responded with an nsurance run in the fifth to make the final margin 3-1.

The Majors became the first team in 13 games to hold the DePauw offense under three runs, only getting out-hit 6-4 in the contest and allowing the Tigers to benefit off four errors.

In the nightcap, senior outfielder Jessica Clincy delivered a two-out, two-RBI single in the top of the sixth with the bases loaded to erase a 4-3 deficit and allow Millsaps to come away with a 6-4 victory to advance to “Championship Sunday.”

The two teams held each other scoreless through two innings until the Colonels jumped on the scoreboard in their half of the third when Courtney Frye's fielder's choice scored Rebecca Rhule for a 1-0 lead.

Millsaps wasted little time in answering, coming back with two runs in the fourth. After a leadoff single to right from Hill, sophomore teammate Jen McKinley followed with her team-leading sixth homer of the year that gave the Majors their first lead of the contest at 2-1.

Centre (22-20) knotted the game at 2-2 in its half of the fourth, using back-to-back, one-out doubles from Amber Mills and Julia Hubbard to even the score.

Both teams continued to add to their run total in the fifth. Millsaps got a run-scoring single from Hill to make the score 3-2, only to see the Colonels score two runs of their own on a
run-scoring double by Mills and an unearned run off an error.

The Majors responded again, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth to go back in front 5-4. Millsaps added an insurance run in the seventh off a passed ball and frosh Laura Litton gave up just two hits the final two frames for her first career save in relief of Brittney McAllister.

McAllister tossed five innings for the win, allowing four runs - two earned - on six hits with two strikeouts to improve to 6-5 on the season. Tyler Travis (8-9) suffered the loss in a complete-game effort for Centre, surrendering six runs - five earned - on 10 hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Hill paced the Millsaps offensive attack with a 3-for-4 performance, scoring two runs and driving in another, while Clincy added two hits and McKinley finished with a pair of RBIs. Mills led Centre with a 3-for-4 effort in the Colonels’ season-ending loss.

Millsaps advances to play DePauw in a rematch of Saturday’s winner’s bracket game at noon on Sunday. The Majors must knock off DePauw twice to earn the automatic berth into the NCAA Playoffs.