DEVILETTES WIN SECOND GAME IN A ROW
Errors Costly for Southeastern
ITTA BENA, Miss. — The Miss. Valley State Devilettes won their second consecutive game as they downed Southeastern Louisiana 2-1 Tuesday afternoon at the MVSU Softball Complex.
Southeastern Louisiana pitchers Katelyn Thomason and freshman Kati Morse combined for a two-hitter, but two errors led to two unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth. MVSU pitcher Lisa Jansed evened her season record at 5-5 as she worked seven innings of three-hit softball.
Southeastern fell to 5-12 overall with the loss. Mississippi Valley State improved to 7-12 on the year.
Mississippi Valley mounted the game’s first threat in the bottom of the second inning. Thomason (3-4) walked Ta’Niya Wllace and Ashley Lawrence to put runners on first and second with two outs. However, the Spring, Texas native struck out Shanika Randle to keep the game scoreless.
After being held hitless through the first three innings, Southeastern got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Michelle Duhe led off the inning with a single and advanced to third when a one-out grounder off the bat of junior Katie Duhe went through the legs of Lawrence to put runners at second at third. Sophomore Meghan Gomez then flared a single into left field that plated the younger Duhe and gave Southeastern a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Lions mounted a threat in the top of the fifth inning. MVSU starter Lisa Jansen (5-5) hit senior Chelsea Takacs with one out and Michelle Duhe’s second hit of the game put runners at second and third with two outs. However, Jansen forced Thomason to pop out to end the inning.
Sloppy fielding allowed MVSU to retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Tiana Parks drew a walk and Lawrence laid down a perfect bunt. Gomez’s throw to first was off line, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Shanika Randle then hit a pop-up to left, but Michelle Duhe dropped it, allowing pinch runner Rachelle Harris to score and knot the score at 1.
Lady Lion freshman Kati Morse then came on relief of Thomason. After retiring the first batter she faced, Morse uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Lawrence to score the go-ahead run. From there, Jansen sat Southeastern down in order in the final two innings to preserve the victory.
The Devilettes will look to continue their good fortune as they participate in the 2010 SWAC Softball Round-Up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi this weekend.
