Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SOUTHAVEN, Miss.–The Christian Brothers University Lady Bucs dropped both games in the Gulf South Conference Tournament Saturday, falling 5-4 as their comeback effort fell a run short against No. 4 Valdosta State in the opener before North Alabama won the second game 14-3.

In the opener, the Lady Bucs (11-30) struck first in the top of the first inning as Allyson Grooms (Buena Vista, Tenn./Hollow Rock-Bruceton Central HS) slapped a leadoff single to center, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a double by Jennifer Gonzalez (Covina, Calif./Charter Oak HS).

The Blazers (38-9) broke through in the bottom of the second with a leadoff walk and a two-out Hannah Strickland triple down the right field line that stayed fair by inches. VSU took the lead in the third inning, when Ashley Steinhilber hit a two-run double to left after a single and a double had put two runners in scoring position. They added another run to the lead in the fourth inning on a single and a double, and they extended their lead to 5-1 in the sixth on a single, a stolen base, and an RBI single.

The Lady Bucs would not go quietly in the seventh, taking advantage of an error. Bianca Cowan (Byhalia, Miss./Center Hill HS) and Grooms used their speed to leg out bunt singles to load the bases with one out. An RBI single by Nikki Story (Southaven, Miss./Southaven HS) and an RBI groundout by Marie Joiner (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente HS) cut the lead in half. Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to load the bases back up, and pinch-hitter Gabrielle Sereika (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) worked a walk to cut the lead to 5-4, but a strikeout ended the game.

Grooms went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Cowan was 3-for-3.

In the second game, North Alabama (39-17) exploded for 11 runs on 10 hits and a walk in the top of the first inning. They added single tallies in the second and fourth innings to extend their lead to 13-0. The Lady Bucs got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Joiner hit a leadoff single to right, and Taylor Rosa-Ramon (Ewa Beach, Hawaii/James Campbell HS) drew a walk. After a groundout moved them to second and third, Emily Schmidt (Olive Branch, Miss./Center Hill HS) hit a two-run single to left-center.

After UNA scored another run in the top of the fifth, the Lady Bucs answered with one of their own to set the final margin. Story started the rally with a two-out double down the right field line, and she scored when Joiner singled to left-center.

Joiner went 2-for-2 in the game, and Schmidt drove in two runs.