Game 1 Box Score / Game 2 Box Score
PINEVILLE, La. – Louisiana College Leslie Eastham hadn't pitched on a full-time basis since her senior year at Woodlawn-Baton Rouge but time off was not time lost. Eastham's name will be forever listed in Louisiana College softball lore after she hurled a no-hitter in a 8-0 win over Ozarks in the second half of an American Southwest Conference East Division doubleheader.

Eastham (3-0) walked two and struck out four in the win. Both base runners were put out via a double play.

“I was just trying to keep the pitches low and force them to hit ground balls,” Eastham said. “The defense did the rest, really. (Center fielder) Chelsea Allen had a great diving catch and the infield rolled up two double plays. The defense was lights out all day. It was a great effort by the team.”

Eastham's no-hitter came on the heels of an 8-5 LC win in the first game, a contest in which the Eagles (7-7, 2-4 ASC East) connected on 10 hits.

“Leslie's screwball was working really well today,” LC coach Mark Rosier said. “She worked from ahead the whole game and consistently hit her spots. That was really the key to the game. Ozarks is a good team that can really swing the bat so it was good timing for Leslie to have such a quality performance.”

It was the 19th no-hitter in Louisiana College Softball history and the first since 2010 when Rene' Schwartzenburg and Carli Wheeler combined for five-inning no-hitter over Ozarks.  Eastham, then a freshman, pitched a few innings in that 2010 series, her only collegiate pitching experience prior to this season.

Eastham's performance was mirrored by quite the showing by Ozarks freshman Amber Rollins. Rollins (6-5) pitched all 14 innings of the doubleheader and struck out a combined four batters.

“I have to give credit to Ozarks' pitcher,” Rosier said. “She really gutted it out today. There aren't many who can pitch back-to-back college games any more.”

Offensively, the Lady Cats were paced by a 2-for-2 showing by junior outfielder Meggie Burkett (West Monroe, La./West Ouachita HS). Burkett scored two runs and drove in one more.

In the first contest, the Lady Cats rode the momentum of eight stolen bases, five of those in the second inning, to a three-run win.

Down 1-0, the LC staged a five-run rally in the seconds, a barrage of offense that began with two outs and nobody on.
Sophomore second baseman Stephanie Jaeger (Haughton, La./Haughton HS) reached on a walk, then stole second, advanced to third on an infield hit by Amanda Martin (Prairieville, La./St. Amant HS) then stole home, sliding between the legs of Ozarks catcher Heather Roberts on a called ball to spark the rally.

The Lady Cats added two unearned runs in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Senior third baseman Devan Greene (Kaplan, La./Kaplan HS) was the top offensive performer in the first game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

Junior left-fielder Meggie Burkett (West Monroe, La./West Ouachita HS) went 1-for-3 with two RBI, Jaeger went 1-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI and sophomore first baseman Emily Douglas (Gonzales, La./St. Amant HS) went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Sophomore pitcher Rudi Aycock (Olla, La./LaSalle HS), pitching in relief of start Jordan Waldroup (Calhound, La./West Ouachita HS), picked up the win after going three innings and allowing no runs on four hits and a walk with one strikeout.

Amber Rollins took the loss for Ozarks, pitching six innings and striking out three while allowing six hits, five earned runs and four walks.

The top batter for Ozarks in the first contest was first baseman Kelsey Stephens, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
The Lady Cats and Eagles conclude their series Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Coca-Cola Lady Wildcats Field in Pineville.