Jackson Free Press

Mississippi College set a school record for softball wins today in what might be the coolest way. The Choctaws won their 39th game as they took down Belhaven University 3-0, winning the 2016 National Christian College Athletic Association Softball National Championship.

MC was the top seed in the NCCAA Softball World Series, and the Blazers were the No. 2 seed in the eight-team tournament. For the most part, both schools dominated.

The Choctaws rolled by teams with scores of 14-4, 11-0, 13-5 and 5-1 to get to the championship game. Belhaven battled its way through the tournament, winning 5-1, 6-1, and 6-5 in an extra innings game, and 9-1 to make the title match.

MC struck quickly with a run in the first inning and, in reality, it was the only run the team needed that day. The Choctaws got two more insurance runs in the fifth inning to seal the win over the Blazers.

Mississippi College pitcher Carlie Sargent earned Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, as she tossed seven shutout innings for the complete game. Sargent (21-11) threw her ninth career shutout as she struck out seven, walked two and scattered four hits.

Belhaven pitcher Julienne Broussard (16-4) pitched seven complete innings, giving up eight hits, three earned runs, five strikeouts and one walk in a losing effort. Katherine Lee, leadoff hitter for MC, went 2-for-4 at the plate, and outfielder Megan Everett went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

Tylan Buckley, outfielder for the Choctaws, went 1-for-4 but drove in the first run for MC. No player for Belhaven could muster more than one hit.

The Blazers finish the season with a 37-9 record, and Mississippi College ends the season with 39-19 record and a national title. This is the first women’s national championship title in school history.

Belhaven and MC dominated the All-Tournament selections as they dominated the tournament itself. The schools combined to place five of the 11 players selected for the post-tournament honors.

Sargent was not only the MOP but was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Joining her for MC were Lauren Mulligan and Everett. Belhaven placed Dani Craft and Crystal Kehtel on the All-Tournament Team.

Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is a huge favorite at the 141st Preakness Stakes. After holding off the field in “the Run for the Roses,” the unbeaten horse was installed as a 3-5 favorite after the post draw yesterday.

This year’s Preakness Stakes features 11 horses, just three short of a full field. Nyquist once again got a nice post by drawing the No. 3 position.

The Preakness is the shortest of the Triple Crown races at 1.19 miles. It also features the smallest maximum field of the three races.

Exaggerator is the second choice at 3-1 odds after drawing the No. 5 post. The third favorite is Stradivari, drawing the No. 11 post and at 8-1 odds.

Collected is the fourth choice at 10-1 odds from the No. 7 post. In between Collected and Exaggerator is Japanese horse Lani, who is a 30-1 shot from the No. 6 post and showed all kinds of difficulties in training and before the race in Kentucky.

Cherry Wine from the No. 1 post and Uncle Lino from the No. 2 post were installed at 20-1 odds. The rest of the field—Awesome Speed (No. 4 post), Laoban (No. 8 post), Abiding Star (No 9 post) and Fellowship (No. 10 post)—all join Lani as 30-1 long shots.

Exaggerator, who finished second in the derby, and Lani, who finished ninth, are the only horses from the previous 20-horse field joining Nyquist in the second Triple Crown race. The other eight horses didn’t run in Kentucky.

As the horses are called to post, the United States Navy Glee Club leads the crowd in singing “Maryland, My Maryland,” the official state song of Maryland. The winner of the race is given a blanket of yellow Vikings daisies, daubed with black lacquer in the center to resemble the Black-Eyed Susan.

Black-Eyed Susans, the state flower of Maryland, don’t bloom until June, which is why the flowers are altered for a race that is run in late May.

You can eat and drink like you are at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore if you want to make your race-day party authentic. Maryland crab cakes are a staple at the event along with hot crab dip, oysters, Maryland beaten biscuits and Lady Baltimore cake.

The drink of the Preakness Stakes is also called the Black-Eyed Susan. It consists of bourbon, vodka, sweet-and-sour mix and orange juice. This is the lesser-known Triple Crown drink behind the Mint Julep at the Kentucky Derby.

NBC’s coverage will begin at 4 p.m., but the actual Preakness won’t run until 5:30 p.m. or 5:45 p.m.

If Nyquist wins, he will go into the final race, the Belmont Stakes, with a chance to win the Triple Crown. If he loses, the Triple Crown awaits for another horse next year.