Southwest Mississippi Community College’s softball team is on a roll, firing off four straight wins, with the latest two coming Saturday in 10-2 and 4-2 victories over visiting Baton Rouge Community College.
“I’m pleased with the effort of a team that keeps fighting,” SMCC head coach Shea Johnson said. “I felt like we scratched and manufactured some runs, we didn’t just live on the big bats. Sometimes you have to do that.”
After Game 1 starter Jenson Gremillion retired six of the first seven batters she faced without giving up a hit, she got some help from her offense in the bottom half of the second inning.
SMCC (8-2) took advantage of an error before getting a double from Shelby Mason putting runners in scoring position.
Next up was Jenna Brock, who hit into a fielder’s choice, allowing Maggie Magee to touch home, putting the hosts ahead 1-0.
With the bases loaded, Ashleigh Rowland was hit by a pitch, plating another run before Brock scored on a passed ball and Madison Moak touched home on a Hailee Jenkins double.
Mel Lewis added a run after hitting into a fielder’s choice making the score 5-0.
SMCC added two more runs the following inning before Baton Rouge scored its first run in the fourth and second in the fifth.
But SMCC answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth with the third coming on a Jenkins single resulting in the walk-off score.
Jenkins led SMCC with three hits and two RBIs, while Brock also finished with two RBIs. Gremillion struck out three in the win.
In Game 2, Jade Latham got the start and went the distance for the hosts, getting eight strikeouts while giving up only five hits and three walks.
“I felt good, coming off of two wins Wednesday really helped me. It gave me confidence in today’s start,” Latham said.
Latham received a tough test from Baton Rouge early on as the visitors got two runners on base trying to strike first.
However, the sophomore shut the door on the opportunity getting a ground out and a line out on two consecutive at bats preventing any damage from being done.
The SMCC offense then immediately went to work. After Moak got on base via a walk, she scored three batters later on a passed ball before Lewis touched home when Mikenzi Authement hit into a fielder’s choice.
As it turns out, the 2-0 lead was plenty of insurance for Latham, who struck out the side in the second.
She ran into some trouble once again in the fourth as Baton Rouge got a leadoff double from Brooke Romano, who then took advantage of an SMCC error, advancing to third. Latham kept her composure, striking out the next batter.
During the ensuing at bat Magee — filling in at shortstop for Jenna Brock — started a 6-3-2 double play, gunning the ball to Mason at first who then fired home to Rowland allowing her to apply the tag to Romano, getting the third out and keeping Baton Rouge off the scoreboard.
Baton Rouge eventually plated a run in the sixth cutting the SMCC lead in half. But the hosts answered back with an Authement RBI single and an RBI from Mason who hit into a fielder’s choice.
Down to their last out, the visitors pushed one more run across, making it a 4-2 contest before Latham got her eight strikeout to seal the win for SMCC. Offensively, Authement led SMCC with two RBIs.
