Daytona Beach, Fla. — Mississippi College junior Ellie Fryar hit for the cycle Friday, helping the Choctaws secure a 12-5 victory over Southern Wesleyan before falling 3-2 to No. 2 Tampa later in the day.
Fryar finished with four hits, including a triple, home run, single and double, drove in four runs and scored four times. The cycle was a standout moment early in the season for the junior.
Mississippi College (5-5) jumped ahead early against Southern Wesleyan. Fryar tripled to open the game and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Morgan Lavergne. In the second inning, Fryar launched a two-run home run to center field, extending the lead to 3-0.
Southern Wesleyan responded with five runs in the third inning, but the Choctaws countered. Fryar delivered an RBI single in the fourth, and Lavergne followed with an RBI double to tie the game at 5-5. The team then broke the game open with a seven-run fifth inning, highlighted by Mary Lem’s three-run homer and Fryar’s run-scoring double.
AK Willingham earned the win in relief, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Grace Wallis started and pitched 2 2/3 innings.
In the nightcap, Mississippi College pushed No. 2 Tampa to the final at-bat before falling 3-2. Fryar doubled in the first inning and later scored on an error to put the Choctaws ahead 1-0. Tampa tied the game in the sixth on a sacrifice fly. Bella Myers gave Mississippi College a 2-1 lead in the seventh with a solo home run.
Tampa responded with a two-run single in the bottom half to secure the win. Camryn Bailey pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits. She struck out nine and walked one.
Mississippi College returns to action Saturday morning in Saint Leo, Florida, facing No. 20 Saint Leo at 8 a.m. CST, followed by the second game of the doubleheader.
