DeLand, Fla. -- Lipscomb junior Kellie Sirus hit two game-winning home runs, including one with her team down to its final out, to lift Lipscomb to a doubleheader sweep over host Stetson 3-2 and 5-3 Thursday afternoon at Patricia Wilson Field.
The Hatters (20-29, 3-15 Atlantic Sun) know they must sweep Belmont in a doubleheader on Saturday plus get some additional help in order to qualify for the conference tournament next month in DeLand. Andrea Migliori hit a three-run homer in the second game, her 11th of the season, to lead the Hatters.
The Bisons (34-11, 12-4 A-Sun) have already clinched a spot in the postseason but still have a chance to earn a share of the regular season title if they win out.
In game one, Stetson led 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning when Lauren Dortwegt recorded a key one-out single. After Courtney Billington sacrificed Dortwegt to second, Sirus lined a 1-0 pitch from Amanda Lindsey deep over the left field fence to put the Bisons in front.
Freshman Whitney Kiihnl struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the complete game victory. She improved to 15-7 on the season while Lindsey fell to 10-13.
Earlier in the game, Stetson rallied from a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Just one inning after leaving the bases loaded, Stetson filled the bases again, but this time cashed in when Katie Lawrence was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run. A wild pitch then scored Amy Joyce with the go-ahead run, but Kiihnl retired the next two batters to prevent further damage.
Jesse Tucker had two hits and a run scored to lead the Hatters. Sirus and Mollie Mitchell each collected two hits for the Bisons, while MacKenzie Tucker drove in a run.
In game two, Lipscomb scored single runs in each of the first three innings to take an early 3-0 lead. Abby Keese hit a solo home run in the third, her ninth home run of the season, to put the Bisons ahead by three..
In the bottom of the fourth, Stetson broke through against Alaina Jacobson. Joyce led off with an infield single and moved to second on a walk by Katelyn Perna. Jacobson then fell behind Andrea Migliori, who was given a 3-0 green light. Migliori responded by belting a game-tying three-run home run to left field, her 11th of the season, to knot the score 3-3. It was the 53rd home run of her career.
But Sirus wasn't done with her heroics as in the top of the fifth with Billington on first, she connected again for a two-run home run, this time off reliever Nicole Peltz, to put Lipscomb ahead for good. Sirus finished the day 4-for-7 with two home runs and four RBI. She now has eight round-trippers on the season.
Stetson threatened in each of the final three innings, but could not scratch across any more runs. Jacobson benefited from a line drive double play in the sixth to improve to 9-3 on the season. Peltz (1-2) lost for just the second time this season, while the Hatters dropped their 15th game in a row. Freshman Brittany Knipp registered two hits in game two.
Stetson's postseason fate now comes down to its final two conference games. In order for the Hatters to make their 10th consecutive postseason appearance, Stetson must sweep Belmont on Saturday, plus have either Belmont lose once next weekend (at Lipscomb) or have Kennesaw State win once this weekend (vs. Upstate and ETSU). Belmont lost twice to FGCU on Thursday.
