Wildcats Fall on Senior Day

4/14/2017 9:49:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

For the fourth and fifth times in the last six games, the Louisiana College softball team lost a one-run game. A sixth-inning double gave the No. 2 ranked University of Texas at Tyler the 2-1 win in the first game of the day, and a base hit up the middle in the top of the ninth gave the Patriots the 4-3 win and series sweep over the Wildcats. The losses drop LC to 24-12 on the season and 18-9 in American Southwest Conference play, with one weekend left in the regular season.

Game 1

The Wildcats played small ball in the bottom of the first inning of game one, after leadoff batter Shelby Bergeron singled to start the game, stole second, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Mattie Stine came through with an RBI base hit through the right side on a full count pitch to give the Wildcats the early 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats worked out of a bases loaded, 1-out jam in the second inning with a ground ball directly to Morgan Dennis at third for the easy force out at the plate, and at least a 2-run saving diving catch from Alyssa Ross in left to end the inning and preserve LC's lead. With 2-outs in the top of the third, Patriots slugger KK Stevens cleared the wall in dead center to tie the game at one.

The game remained tied through the next two innings, until a 1-out double in the top of the sixth put UTT ahead 2-1. LC got the tying run on base in both of the final two innings, but could not advance them past second base to tie the game.

Savannah Settle suffered her fourth, 1-run loss of the season, allowing just two runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Five Wildcats had hits in the game with Mattie Stine going 1-for-3 with an RBI single.

Game 2

In the second game of the day, both teams missed scoring chances in the first inning, and were retired in order in the second. Tyler struck first in the third inning, with some small ball of their own, advancing a runner on a bunt and bringing her in on a single up the middle two batters later, to take the 1-0 lead.

The lead did not last long for UTT, as LC went to work quickly in the bottom of the inning. Three straight singles loaded the bases for Mattie Stine, who found a base hit to center to score Alyssa Ross from third. Taylor Hammock was hit by a pitch to force in another run, and Jordan Mason grounded out to short but the third run of the inning scored easily. The Wildcats had a chance to add more to their lead after Morgan Dennis reached on a fielder's choice, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat for more.

The Patriots threatened in the fourth but were held off the scoreboard, but in the fifth were able to load the bases with no outs. After a pitching change and a force out at home on a ground ball to second LC had 1-out but the bases were still loaded. A base hit up the middle by the next batter scored two runs to tie the game, but the defense came through with a line out double play to second to end the inning with the score tied at three.

The score remained tied going into the bottom of the seventh, with the top of the lineup coming to the plate. Bergeron started things with a single up the middle, moved to second on a bunt single from Sami Walters, and then to third on a sacrifice bunt from Mattie Stine. With the winning run 60-feet away, Taylor Hammock hit a bouncing ball to short, that was thrown to first for the out but the slightest hesitation by Bergeron on her break for the plate gave the first baseman enough time to throw her out for the final out, sending the game to extra innings.

Neither team threatened to score in the eighth sending things to another frame. In the ninth, it was once again KK Stevens that came up with the clutch hit, an RBI single up the middle, to bring in the game winning run from second.

Taylor Leger started the game for LC and went 4.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, with one strikeout, before giving way to Chelsea Lewis in the fifth. Lewis had one of her best performances of the season, going 5.0 inning allowing one run on five hits, but the tough luck loss. Mattie Stine had another good game at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, and both Shelby Bergeron and Sami Walters had two hits and scored a run in the game.

The losses in the series drops the Wildcats to fifth in ASC standings with three games remaining on the season. The Wildcats have a chance to move into the four spot with a sweep of the University of Texas at Dallas next weekend. Regardless of the outcome of that series in Richardson, LC will face off with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first game of the conference tournament. Stay connected to Louisiana College softball by following @LC_sftball or @LC_Wildcats or liking LC Athletics on Facebook.

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