Marion, AL. – The MMI Lady Tigers softball team recorded two wins on opening day, defeating Coastal Alabama CC-East 9-1, and 8-7.

Game 1 MMI 9 COA-E 1

Freshman Kinley Bolton earned her first win of the spring as the Lady Tigers took game one 9-1 in six innings.

Marion scored first when freshman catcher, Jessica Cross, put a 1-1 pitch over the center field fence in the bottom of the second inning.  They added two more runs in the fourth inning when Maris Stinchcomb led off with a base hit to center field.  Nataley Whitner hit into a fielder's choice and Cross struck out before Kaela Gimberg got a hit down the right field line to score Whitner.  Erin Babineaux followed with a hit to score Gimberg.

With the score 3-1, MMI plated six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to finish the game early.  Stinchcomb once again led off with a hit.  Whitner was hit by a pitch and Cross walked to load the bases.  Gimberg scored Stinchcomb after being hit by a pitch.  Babineaux lined out to left field, scoring Whitner.  With one out, Meredith Taylor walked, and Jessica Morales hit a double to empty the bases.  Carly Taylor, freshman left fielder, walked as did Stinchcomb in her second plate appearance of the inning.  Whitner hit a hard hit to second base to score the final run.

Game 2 MMI 8 COA-E 7

Marion scored in their first at-bat when Jessica Morales led off with a hit.  She stole second base and a one-out hit off the bat of Maris Stinchcomb scored Morales.

After going scoreless in the second inning, MMI added another run in the third inning.  Carly Taylor walked with one out and stole second base to get into scoring position.  Nataley Whitner lined a ground ball to second base and Taylor was able to score.

With MMI holding a 2-1 lead, the Lady Tigers added another run in the fourth inning.  Kaela Gimberg reached on an error and Erin Babineaux walked.  Jazmin Healy sacrificed the runners to second and third.  A sacrifice fly from Meredith Taylor was deep enough for Gimberg to score.

Coastal-East added a run in the fifth inning, but MMI rebounded with two runs of their own.  Whitner hit a one out double and advanced to third on a pass ball; Jessica Cross walked.  Erin Babineaux doubled to score Whitner and Cross.

The War Hawks from Brewton, Alabama scored two more runs in the sixth inning but once again Marion answered with two runs.  Meredith reached on an error and Carly Taylor sacrificed her to second.  Stinchcomb got a hot and scored M. Taylor.  Stinchcomb scored off a hot by Cross.

With the Lady Tigers holding a 7-3 lead, Coastal Alabama plated four runs to tie the score at seven runs apiece in the top of the seventh inning.  In the bottom half of the inning Erin Babineaux led off with a walk and Jazmin Healy reached on a bunt.  Both runners advanced on a pitch in the dirt to give Marion runners in scoring position with no outs.  A pop fly by Morales wasn't deep enough to score Babineaux but a it to left center field off the bat of Carly Taylor with two outs plated the winning run.

Harleigh Anderson started in the circle for MMI and was relieved by Alexus Lambert.  Kinley Bolton finished the seventh inning and earned her second win of the day.

February 3rd, the Lady Tigers will face Pearl River CC with the first game scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m..  Both games will be played at William Carey University