Marion, AL. – The MMI Lady Tigers softball team earned a doubleheader sweep against East Mississippi Community College at home Saturday afternoon, improving to 4-2 on the season.  After Monday's home games were cancelled against Coastal Alabama CC-North, they will travel to Scooba, MS. to take on EMCC in another doubleheader Tuesday, February 7.

GAME 1: MMI 12 EMCC 4

Sophomore Kinley Bolton started game one in the pitching circle for Marion and held the Lions from EMCC scoreless until the fifth inning.

MMI sent ten batters to the plate in the third inning to take a 5-0 lead.  Jaqulyn Braswell was hit by a pitch and Alexandra Erwin sacrificed her to second.  Carly Taylor reached on an error and Karlee Pierson singled, bringing in Braswell across the plate;  Taylor took third and Braswell advanced to second base on the throw to third.  Carly Taylor scored MMI's second run on a passed ball. After Jessica Cross flied out Avary Lumpkin walked.  Krislin Estes singled down the third base line, scoring Pierson.  Jayden Kendrick singled up the middle, plating two more runs for Marion. 

The Lady Tigers added five more runs in the fourth inning after EMCC inserted a new pitcher in the circle.  Alexandra Erwin led off with a stand-up double.  Karlee Pierson recorded another hit, moving Erwin to third; Pierson stole second.  Jessica Cross was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  With two outs Jayden Kendrick hit a triple over the right fielder's head, clearing the bases.  Rebecca Fondren singled to left field, scoring Kendrick.

With MMI up 10-0 the Lions started the fifth inning with three straight hits and Head Coach Jeff Benson brought in freshman Ashley Maddox in relief of Kinley Bolton.  Maddox got out of the inning, but EMCC had scored four runs to extend the game to the bottom of the fifth inning.  Karlee Pierson walked and stole second base.  Savannah Nabors doubled, scoring Pierson.  With one out Krislin Estes and Jayden Kendrick both walked to load the bases.  Rebecca Fondren hit a sac fly to center field to score the final run of the game.

GAME 2: MMI 8 EMCC 3

Sophomore Harleigh Anderson pitched a complete game in game two and helped MMI capture the doubleheader sweep.

EMCC scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take an early lead.  The Lady Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the second inning.  Jessica Cross started the inning with a single and Avary Lumpkin blasted  a homerun over the left field fence to score Marion's first two runs.

MMI took the lead in the third inning.  Karlee Pierson tripled and a fielder's choice by Cross brought Pierson across the plate.  Lumpkin moved Cross into scoring position and a long single by Krislin Estes scored her.

Marion added another run in the fourth inning when Rebecca Fondren led off with a single up the middle; Addison Jennings sacrificed her to second.  Alexandra Erwin reached on an error.  With runners on first and third, Carly Taylor hit a sac fly to score Fondren.

Anderson found her groove in the circle and only allowed one more run in the fifth inning to EMCC.  Her teammates built the lead with two more runs in the bottom half of that inning when Caroline Willis hit MMI's second two-run homerun of the game.

Marion added their last run in the sixth inning after the first two batters reached on errors.  Carly Taylor reached on a fielder's choice and stole second base.  Karlee Pierson singled in Taylor. 

After Anderson gave up a single to the Lion's leadoff batter in the top half of the seventh inning, she recorded three straight outs to secure the win.