LEWISVILLE, Texas – The Louisiana College softball team, which had lost three of its last four regular season contests, started the postseason with a dramatic bang, defeating Hardin-Simmons 3-2 in 11 innings in the opening round of the American Southwest Conference Tournament.

“The kids fought hard tonight,” LC coach Tim Whitman said of his team's three-hour-plus contest. “We didn't have a lot of great at-bats, especially early on, but that's a credit to Hardin-Simmons. They came out and really executed throughout their defense. But our kids kept battling and eventually we had some players come through.”

And come through Louisiana College did in the clutch.

Twice the Lady Wildcats (36-5) were down to their last strike and twice they delivered.

First, in the seventh inning with two outs, two strikes, pinch hitter Amber Martin (Prairieville, La./St. Amant High) aboard and down 2-1, senior shortstop Mary Alice Roy (Baton Rouge, La./Central Private) connected on a triple that scored Martin from first to tie the game.

“I knew it was all or nothing when I stepped in there,” Roy said. “I was as nervous as I don't know what, but I just took a breath and remembered what we talked about this week in practice. This is what the game is all about, these types of moment. Luckily, I got a good hit and we were able to score a run.”

The co-play of the game came later when, with the game still tied at 2-2, pinch runner Bailey Woodward (Benton, La./Benton High) on first, two outs and two strikes, sophomore third baseman Devan Greene (Kaplan, La./Kaplan High) connected on a double that allowed Woodward to score.

It wasn't easy, though, as Woodward, a freshman, had to jar the ball loose from the Cowgirls catcher at home to score the winning run.

“I got behind on two strikes,” Greene recalled. “I was expecting something to hit, but preparing to battle off anything close. The pitch she threw me was one I was looking for and I sat back and tried to drive it. It got down and Bailey was able to get from first to third. She made a great play at home getting into home for the win.”

Almost lost in the drama was the play of junior pitcher Rene's Schwartzenburg (Marksville, La./Marksville High) who pitched an incredible, 11-inning complete game and struck out 15.

“Rene' pitched her guts out tonight,” Whitman said. “She really helped us out.”

The Lady Wildcats, the No. 2 seed from the ASC East, will next take on ASC West No. 1 seed Mary Hardin-Baylor at 11 a.m. Friday morning.

Should LC win that game, the next contest would be at 5 p.m. Should LC fall to UMHB, an elimination game would follow at 2 p.m.

“We're just glad we were able to get the first win,” Roy said. “Any time you do that it motivates the whole team. And it puts us in a good spot going forward this weekend.”


LIVE STATS LINKS

Live stats for the Louisiana College Softball team's games at the American Southwest Conference Tournament, hosted this Thursday-Saturday, are available at the following links.

When the Lady Wildcats are on the Blue Field, as they will be at 6 p.m. Friday in their Conference Tournament Opener against Hardin-Simmons, click here.

If the Lady Wildcats are said to be playing on the Gold Field, Click here.

A working and up-to-date schedule of games will be maintained on this page through the duration of the tournament:

Thursday, April 29
Game 1: [#2 West] Concordia Texas (24-14) vs. [#3 East] East Texas Baptist (29-9), 6 p.m., Gold Field
Game 2: [#2 East] Louisiana College (35-5) vs. [#3 West] Hardin-Simmons (17-7), 6 p.m., Blue Field

Friday, April 30
Game 3: [#1 East] Texas-Tyler (35-5) vs. Winner Game 1, 11 a.m., Gold Field
Game 4: [#1 West] Mary Hardin-Baylor (25-15) vs. Louisiana College, 11 a.m., Blue Field
Game 5: Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 1, 2 p.m., Gold Field
Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 2, 2 p.m., Blue Field
Game 7: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 5 p.m., Gold Field
Game 8: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 5 p.m., Blue Field

Saturday, May 1
Game 9: Loser Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 11 a.m., Gold Field
Game 10 (Championship): Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 9, 2 p.m., Gold Field
Game 11: If necessary, start 30 minutes after Gm. 10 conclusion