GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles softball team faced stiff competition at the Coyote Classic over the weekend, taking on a field that included two nationally ranked teams. MCC (8-8) secured a hard-fought 7-4 victory over No. 14 Central Alabama but came up short in matchups against No. 4 Northwest Florida State, Lamar State-Port Arthur, and Pensacola State.

The Lady Eagles opened play on Friday with a tough challenge against No. 4 Northwest Florida State, falling 8-0. MCC struggled to generate offense against a dominant pitching performance, while Northwest Florida capitalized on key scoring opportunities to pull away early. In the second game of the day, MCC battled against Lamar State but fell 6-1. Hannah Buckley provided the lone RBI for the Lady Eagles, and Hannah Capello turned in a solid effort in the circle.

Saturday saw MCC respond with resilience, picking up an impressive 7-4 win over No. 14 Central Alabama. The Lady Eagles overcame a deficit in the sixth inning, fueled by clutch hits from Arlee McClellan, Lainey Briggs, and Raegan King. Dakota Haynsworth came through with a go-ahead double in the seventh before McClellan added insurance with an RBI single. Capello earned the win in relief, keeping Central Alabama off the board in the final two innings.

MCC closed out the tournament with a closely contested 3-2 loss to Pensacola State. The Lady Eagles out-hit their opponent 9-5, but timely hitting from Pensacola made the difference. Haynsworth delivered a strong performance in the circle, recording 20 outs, while Camry Johnson, Allie Loftin, and King each collected two hits.

The Lady Eagles will look to build on their experience from the Coyote Classic as they continue their season. MCC returns to action Monday, February 17th with matchups on the road against Coastal Alabama - North.