DECATUR, Ala. - Stillman College came within inches of its first NAIA Softball Opening Round bid Saturday, falling to No. 24 Middle Georgia State University, 2-1, in the Southern States Athletic Conference Softball Championships loser bracket final at Wilson Morgan Park. The Tigers (35-13)finish third in the SSAC tournament for the second-straight year.

Trailing 2-1, and down to its last out, Stillman had SSAC Player of the Year Lauren Haskins at the plate as the go-ahead run. Haskins blasted an opposite field hit to right center, which first looked and sounded to be a go-ahead home run, but the ball dropped just shy of the fence into Summer Lawrence's glove to end the game. 

Haskins was 1-for-2 on the day with two hit by pitches, including one in the third inning. After sliding into second on a wild pitch, Haskins popped up as the Middle Georgia catcher's throw went into right field. She raced around the bases to score the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Stillman's defense flashed their gloves next. A diving play in center by Carolyn Carter, followed by a pop up behind the backstop caught by Anniston Jones and a quick reflexes by Lexi McCray to get an out at first stranded two Knights on the bases in the bottom of the third. 

Middle Georgia claimed a 2-1 lead in fourth inning when Alexis Cosgrove singled to left, stole second and moved to third on a Madisyn Riggins single. Emily Proctor slapped a bunt down the first base line and off the bag to bring Cosgrove home. The go-ahead run scored on a dropped fly ball by Haskins, but Madison Bubel turned a 5-3 double play to end the inning. 

Haskins singled with one out in the fifth but was left standing on second. McCray allowed only a walk through her next seven batters faced to give Stillman its chance at a seventh-inning rally. 

Only one of McCray's two runs allowed was earned, as she gave up five hits and one walk in the six-inning complete game. She finishes her senior campaign with a 15-5 record. 

Riggins (13-2) recorded the win in the circle for Middle Georgia, allowing two hits, one walk, three hit batters and one unearned run through seven innings. With the win, Middle Georgia received an automatic bid to the NAIA Softball Opening Round and advanced to the SSAC Championship title game against William Carey University.

Stillman completes its season with the best win percentage in program history at .729 (35-13) and second-most total victories. The Tigers finish the SSAC Championships 4-2 after winning three games on Friday, in which they hit .471 with 41 total hits, 10 walks, 26 RBI and 32 runs in the three wins over Point, Faulkner and Blue Mountain College. 

The Tigers finish their six years as a member in the SSAC with a 9-10 overall tournament record through five tournaments in Decatur, including 7-4 the last two seasons. Stillman will join the HBCU Athletic Conference on July 1 (currently known as the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference).