MVSU Devilettes ruin JSU's chance at unblemished SWAC record

Photo Courtesy Mississippi Valley State University Athletics

ITTA BENA, Mississippi -- In a game that was televised live on ESPNU, the Mississippi Valley State softball team captured a 6-4 win over Jackson State on Saturday to give the Lady Tigers their first SWAC loss of the season. JSU, however, rebounded in the final game of the doubleheader with a 4-2 victory.

It marked the final game of the regular season for the Devilettes, who finished third in the SWAC Eastern Division. The SWAC Softball Tournament is set for May 7-10 in Decatur, Ala. at Wilson Morgan Park.

Game 1 (MVSU 6, JSU 4)
Deja Talton's RBI-double in the third inning helped spur a MVSU comeback on national TV. The Devilettes came back from a 2-0 deficit and putting three runs on the board in the third inning using Talton's double and an error by JSU that resulted in Valley's third run of the inning.

MVSU stretched its run to 6-0 by the end of the sixth inning after a RBI-triple by Yasmin Battle in the fourth inning and two additional runs in the sixth.

JSU scored two runs in the seventh inning, but it wasn't enough to keep the Devilettes from spoiling the Lady Tigers' perfect season.

Cassandra Rivera, one of Valley's two seniors, won the game on the mound -- giving up two earned runs on six hits with 4.2 innings of work.

Game 2 (JSU 4, MVSU 2)
JSU withstood four errors to defeat the Devilettes, 4-2, in the final game of the series Saturday. Overall, the game included seven errors, as both teams concluded their regular seasons.

MVSU's Yasmin Battle went 2-of-3 at the plate with a RBI-double -- its first run of the game in the first inning. Valley's final run of the game also came in the first inning on a wild pitch.

Cassandra Rivera had three strikeouts on the mound for Valley in 3.1 innings of relief work.

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2      

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION