EMCC Lions collect fourth doubleheader softball sweep of the year with pair of home wins over Coahoma

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College Lions earned their fourth doubleheader softball sweep of the season by claiming 10-4 and 9-7 home wins over Coahoma during Wednesday's MACCC action played on the Scooba campus.

Featuring a trio of EMCC home runs to match a single-game season high previously accomplished during home contests against Shelton State and Moberly Area back in February, the opening game was tied at 2-2 in the third inning prior to the Lions' power surge. Run-scoring hits from EMCC's Savannah Fralix and RaMiyah Price in the first and second frames, respectively, were matched by Zakathryn Cameron's two-out, two-run single in the third inning for Coahoma.

The Lions' next six runs were all scored via the home run ball, beginning in the home half of the third when Madison Newburn's two-run homer was followed later in the five-run inning by Blayne Sturgeon's three-run blast for her first collegiate home run.

A frame later, EMCC countered Coahoma's solo run with Olivia Saucier's leadoff home run to also mark her first homer as a collegian. Fralix followed three batters later with a sacrifice fly to shallow left field that put the Lions on top 9-3 after four innings of play.

The teams traded solo runs late in the game to account for the final score. Newburn's infield grounder brought home Saucier following her leadoff triple in the sixth, which was answered an inning later by Cameron's two-out RBI double for the visitors.

EMCC's 13-hit team effort in the opening game included five players with multiple hits. Newburn added a pair of singles to go along with her fourth home run of the year to lead the way with three hits. Saucier, Fralix, Devin Bourgeois and Annagrace Stewart followed with two hits apiece for the Lions.

In the circle, EMCC sophomore left-hander Savannah Mitchell raised her season record to 6-9 by tossing the first three innings. Freshman Chaley Peterson worked the final four innings in relief to record her second save of the year for the Lions.

Despite a four-run opening frame by the home-standing Lions, the second game remained close until the final pitch. Stewart's two-RBI double highlighted EMCC's first inning that also featured singles by Saucier, Bourgeois and Mitchell.

Once the Tigers cut their initial deficit in half with a pair of unearned runs off EMCC starting pitcher Allee Bennett in the second inning, the teams basically alternated scoring frames the rest of the way. The Lions answered Coahoma's initial pair of scores with two more runs of their own in the third inning to reclaim their four-run advantage.

The visitors promptly got those two runs back and cut the EMCC lead to 6-4 on consecutive RBI singles by Cameron and Destiny Benefield in the fourth inning.

The Lions and Tigers continued to exchange runs into the final frame. Coahoma's solo score in the fifth was answered by a pair of runs in the home half of the inning to extend EMCC's lead to 8-5. After the Lions plated another insurance run in the sixth to briefly regain their four-run margin, the Tigers battled back in the seventh inning to cut the deficit in half. Run-scoring singles by Coahoma's Tyrekia McCullum and Kaylee Ables, respectively, off EMCC reliever Reese Edwards and Bennett, who inherited two base runners when she re-entered the game, made it a 9-7 contest. With the potential go-ahead run at the plate, Bennett induced a game-ending, double-play grounder to second base to secure the Lions' first conference softball sweep of the season.

Adding 11 more hits in the nightcap for a total of 24 EMCC hits on the afternoon, the Lions were paced by Saucier, Newburn, Stewart and Mitchell with two hits apiece.

While statistically pitching the full seven innings despite having to re-enter during the final inning, Bennett improved to 4-11 on the year with her sixth career pitching win for the Lions.

Head coach Mackenzie Byrd's EMCC Lions (12-26, 4-18 MACCC) are set to close out the home portion of their 2026 softball schedule by playing host to Hinds on Saturday (April 18). Prior to the 1 p.m. start time against the Lady Eagles, the Lions will recognize 11 sophomores during pre-game Sophomore Day activities at the EMCC Softball Field on the Scooba campus.