Panthers take two last-inning wins at Millsaps tournament
March 14, 2008

RIDGELAND, Miss. – LaGrange won in its last at-bat twice Friday at the Millsaps College Spring Invitational Softball Tournament being held at Freedom Ridge Park. The Panthers (7-3) topped Austin 4-3 in their first tournament game and edged Centre 3-2 in their final game of the day. The Panthers have come from behind in six of their seven wins.

Freshman Katie Hein went 5-for-8 in the two games. She had three RBIs and the game-winning hit against Austin. Allison Gordon drove in all three runs in the win over Centre.

Freshman Kristen Woodard made her first collegiate start against Austin. She allowed an unearned run through five innings. Woodard scattered eight hits, and walked a batter. Megan Henry (1-0) picked up the win in relief. She allowed two runs and hits in two innings.

Austin took a 1-0 lead with the aid of a Panther error in the top of the third inning. LaGrange came back in its half of the inning with two runs. Emily Foster scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Foster had reached on an error while attempting a bunt. Katie Hein's two-out hit up the middle drove in Holly Hazelwood to make it 2-1.

The Panthers added a run in the fifth inning to go up 3-1. Hein again had the two-out hit, driving in Foster. Foster had singled with one out in the inning. She moved up to second on a hit by Hazelwood and over to third on a force out.

The lead held up until the seventh inning. The Kangaroos put two runners on and were down to their last out. Carolyn Stone tied the game at 3-3 with a triple to left field.

The game appeared to be heading toward extra innings after the first two batters were retired in the Panthers' half of the seventh. But Valeree Williams doubled to the left field fence to keep the inning going. Hein came through for the third straight time in the game, hitting the ball up the middle to drive in Williams with the winning run.

In the second game, the Panthers trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning. Hazelwood walked and Williams followed with a base hit to lead off the inning. Gordon put the Panthers up 2-1 with a two-out single to right.

The Panthers pushed across the winning run in the seventh inning. With the score tied 2-2, Hein started the rally with a one-out single. A walk to Kristi Underwood and a base hit by Jennifer Knight loaded the bases. Gordon followed with a line drive single to right center to score Hein with the game-winning run.

Daniel (6-3) got the win in relief. She allowed five hits and a run in four innings. Henry pitched the first three innings. She gave up an unearned run in three innings.

LaGrange faces 13th-ranked Louisiana College and Mississippi College on Saturday. The Panthers play Mississippi at 11 a.m. EST and Louisiana at 3 p.m. EST.