Mississippi Valley State captured its fourth consecutive SWAC Softball Tournament Title with a 4-1 victory over Southern University in Game 11 of the four-day event.
Southern defeated MVSU 1-0 in Game 10 to force the necessary and deciding game. In Game 10, Southern pitcher Jennifer Hodrick pitched a three-hit shutout while teammate Tiffiany Dardville used an RBI double to score Courtney Chappell in the first inning. In the second game on Sunday, the Devilettes used a three-run rally with two outs in the fifth inning to clinch the title.
MVSU outfielder Shaina Mitchell was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player with a superb performance over the four days of play. She finished the tournament 8-for-14 from the plate with two homers (one a game winner), five runs, four RBIs and three doubles. She had a hand in seven of the Devilettes runs scored and accounted for the winning run in each of MVSU’s three tournament wins. She was especially key during Sunday’s deciding game as she was 3-for-3 (solo HR in the 1st, single in the 3rd, and a double in the 5th).
All-tournament team
Nikki Stouder, Mississippi Valley State
Jennifer Hodrick, Southern
Debra Borcherding, Alabama A&M
Jana Dias, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Ebony Stevenson, Jackson State
Courtney Chappell, Southern
Mary Cortez, Texas Southern
Candy Shumpert, Mississippi Valley State
Shaina Mitchell, Mississippi Valley State
Most Outstanding Player — Shaina Mitchell, Mississippi Valley State
SWAC Coach of the Year — Lee Smith, Mississippi Valley State.
