RAYMOND, Miss. – The Hinds Community College Softball team earned a doubleheader sweep over Bossier Parish CC on Saturday afternoon at Rene T. Warren Field. The Lady Eagles opened the day with a 2-1 extra-inning victory before closing out the sweep with a 2-0 shutout win in game two.

GAME ONE
Freshman Claire Mellard delivered a gritty, eight-inning performance to earn her eighth win of the season, lifting the Eagles to a 2-1 extra-inning victory in the opener.

The right-hander allowed just one run on eight hits, walked one, and repeatedly worked out of traffic to keep Hinds within striking distance. After the Lady Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, Mellard settled in and never wavered, stranding runners and keeping the deficit at one.

The Eagles were limited to two hits through five innings before manufacturing the equalizer in the sixth. Freshman LaKeitha Sampson ignited the rally with a leadoff double down the left-field line. Following a sacrifice bunt by Addison Galloway, Sampson came home on an RBI groundout by Emma Hudson to tie the game at 1-1. Jalia McDaniel added pressure in the inning with a walk and stolen base.

The game remained tied through seven innings, forcing the international tiebreaker in the eighth.

The Cavaliers advanced their placed runner to third, but Mellard shut the door with an infield popout and a strikeout to escape the threat.

In the home half, Aaliyah Nixon entered as a pinch runner and moved to third after a bunt by Xiomara Fireplace, who reached on fielder's interference. After Galloway reached on a fielder's choice, McDaniel delivered the decisive swing — a sacrifice fly to center field that plated the winning run and secured the 2-1 victory.

GAME TWO
Freshman Abby McLean followed Mellard's effort with one of her own, tossing a complete-game shutout to secure her second win of the season and complete the sweep. McLean allowed just two hits, carried a no-hitter through four innings, and struck out six in a dominant 2-0 performance.

Hinds totaled seven hits offensively and capitalized on timely execution throughout the contest. The Eagles broke through in the fourth inning when Mackenzie Smith reached on an error. Fireplace followed with a single to center field to move Smith to third, and pinch hitter Mellard brought her home with a productive groundout.

Hinds added an insurance run in the sixth. Jada Ellis led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Sampson. McDaniel delivered again, ripping an RBI triple to right-center field to extend the lead to 2-0.

McLean surrendered a leadoff double in the seventh but calmly responded with a flyout and back-to-back strikeouts to close out the game and secure the sweep.

Hinds will wrap up its 12-game homestand on Tuesday, March 3, hosting the Lady Bears of Baton Rouge Community College at 2 and 4 p.m. at Rene T. Warren Field.

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