Softball Loses in Third Extra Inning Game of Tournament

5/1/2016 1:02:00 AM

By: LC Sports Information

Box Score

For the third time in the last three days the Lady Wildcats went to extra innings in the ASC conference tournament. For the second time in the tournament, the Wildcats would lose in extras to UT-Dallas, and this time be eliminated from play.

For the second game in a row both teams would get on the board in the first inning. A Comet single up the middle scored a run the top of the middle and the Wildcats came right back with an RBI single of their own to centerfield by Mattie Stine to plate Jayde Westbrook.

The Wildcats would take the lead in the third inning after back to back throwing errors by Comet pitcher Lauren McLeod allowed Jayde Westbrook to reach base and then score after she stole second. LC held the 2-1 lead through rest of the game on the stellar pitching performance of Taylor Leger, who kept the Comets off balance and let her defense make plays behind her.

Just three outs away from elimination, UT-Dallas would rally to score a run on a groundout short. Leger would get two groundouts to end the inning but the damage had been done and for the third time in three games in the ASC tournament, the Wildcats would go to extra innings.

After Ellen Bairnsfather made a great fake to throw the go ahead run out at the plate the Wildcats had 2-outs with a runner at first base and the game still tied at 2. A wild pitch and an error on a ball hit to center allowed the go ahead run to score for the Comets. UT-Dallas would add three more runs after an RBI single and another Wildcat error and the lead was 6-2 in the Comets favor.

Mattie Stine would lead off the bottom of the 8^th with her third hit of the game and start the Wildcats comeback. Kourtney Herrera got and RBI on a sacrifice fly to left and Heather Simmons got an RBI single to center that brought the tying run to the plate in the way of Regan LeJeune. The comeback would fall just short for the Wildcats in their 28^th inning of the weekend.

Mattie Stine went 3-3 in the game with an RBI and Taylor Leger pitched 7.2 innings and only allowed 1 earned run scattering 7 hits.

The Wildcats season comes to and end with three exciting games that prove that LC will be contenders for the next few years in the ASC. More than 9 players with multiple starts under their belts will be coming back next season for the Lady Wildcats. Add in the group of talented freshman that Coach Bankston already has on the way and expect to see LC back in the tournament again next year.

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