DECATUR, Ala. -- Tracey Williams picked the perfect time to record her first home run of the season. 

The Mississippi Valley State sophomore from Yonkers, N.Y. stepped to the plate Wednesday and hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning that provided the spark for a 7-4 victory over Southern University in the opening round of the SWAC Softball Tournament at Wilson Morgan Park. 

Williams' home run tied the game at four in the top of the sixth inning and the Devilettes added three runs in the eighth inning to send the Jaguars into the loser's bracket of the tournament. 

MVSU (12-34) will now play Jackson State on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. 

After scoring one run in the first inning, Southern extended its lead to 4-0 after adding three additional runs in the fourth inning. 

Valley got its first run of the game in the fifth inning on a RBI-double by Courtenay Brooks. Then, in the next inning, Williams delivered the biggest hit of her career with a three-run home run. MVSU had a chance to take the lead in the seventh inning but Brooks was called out at third base for leaving the base early.  

The Devilettes closed out the game in the eighth inning with RBI-singles by Williams and Natalia Covarrubias. The final run came on a pop up by Brandi Williams. 

Covarrubias, Brooks, Tracey Williams and Yasmin Battle all had two hits apiece for Valley, who had 10 in the game. 

Tenna Patterson (8-14) gave up just one hit in four innings of action on the mound with four strikeouts to earn the win.