Lady Wildcats Finish Fourth Straight ASC Sweep

3/11/2017 5:30:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information

Box Score

For the fourth time in the last four weekends, the Louisiana College Lady Wildcats softball team completed a three game American Southwest Conference series sweep. On Saturday the Wildcats finished off their series against Hardin-Simmons University with a 2-1 win, for their 13th victory in a row, tying the longest winning streak since the 2012 season. LC returns to Wildcat Park next weekend for a non-conferece set with Belhaven University.

The first four innings of Saturday's series finale were riddled with missed chances for both LC and Hardin-Simmons. Neither team was able to get the key hit that would have given them the lead.

In the top of the second, LC got back-to-back 2-out singles to put runners at first and second but, a ground ball to short ended the inning and the Wildats best chance to score that point in the game. Both team's had at least one hit in three of their four trips to the plate through the first four innings of play. LC was held hitless in the top of the first and HSU in the bottom of the third.

It wasn't until the fifth inning that the Wildcats would finally break through, thanks in large part to the lead off double from Shea Smith to start the inning. The Wildcats aggressive baserunning earned them the first run of the game, when Smith forced the issue on a ground ball by Morgan Dennis, and was able to score on an error by the Cowgirls catcher. With Dennis at second base, the next two batters flew out and struck out, but Sami Walters was able to poke one into left field bringing in pinch runner Alyssa Ross from second for the second run of the game and give LC a 2-0 lead.

HSU got hits in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, but each time the Wildcat defense ended the inning on a fly ball to right and a ground ball double play in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh inning, still trailing 2-0, HSU got their first big hit of the game, a lead off double to left field. Back-to-back ground outs gave put LC 1-out away from shutting out Hardin-Simmons in all three games of the series. HSU would get the hit they needed to prevent the shutout on a base hit to right, which was followed by a hit to center, putting the tying run at second base. Savannah Settle was able to get the final out on her seventh strikeout of the day, and give LC their 13th win in a row.

Settle pitched her second complete game of the season, giving up one run on eight hits with seven strikeouts. She improves to 8-2 on the year and has won her last five starts in a row. Leadoff batter Shelby Bergeron (2-for-4) and Shea Smith (2-for-3) were the only Wildcats with multiple hits in the game. Both Sami Walters and Morgan Dennis had RBIs for the Wildcats.

LC returns to Wildcat Park next weekend for a non-conference series against Belhaven University. The series is scheduled for a single game Friday beginning at 6 p.m. and will end with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m. All games will be streamed live on the Louisiana College Athletics Facebook page, www.facebook.com/LCAthletics and live stats will be available via the LC Portal HERE. Stay connected to Louisiana College softball at www.lcwildcats.net, following @LC_sftball on Twitter and liking LC Athletics on Facebook.

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