Todd Ryals

Lady Wildcats Too Much for Hardin-Simmons

3/16/2018 10:41:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Louisiana College softball team continued their impressive play on Friday night in the first two games of their series with Hardin-Simmons University. The Wildcats took both games of the doubleheader in convincing fashion with run-rule win of 10-2 and 12-0 in five innings each. The Wildcats and Cowgirls will finish their series on Saturday with a 12 p.m. start.

Game 1

The Wildcat bats came out quick in game one of the series with three doubles in the bottom of the first inning and five hits total. Samantha Cetta, Taylor Hammock, and Abby Sterling each ripped RBI doubles in the first then Sami Walters came up with a 2-run single to put the Wildcats up 5-0. An RBI single by Peyton Eschette wrapped up the scoring in the first and LC was up 6-0 after one inning.

The Wildcats didn't stop there as Sterling grounded out with the bases loaded, bringing in another run, and Shelby Bergeron singled to left for an RBI, making it 8-0 Wildcats. Another Cetta double in the third added yet another run and another RBI single from Hammock put the Wildcats in double figures for the second time in three games.

The 10 runs were plenty of support for Wildcat starter Savannah Settle who got her fifth win of the season in the game. The only blemish came in the top of the fifth when the Cowgirls dropped 2-out, double just fair down the left line that plated their only two runs of the game. Settle finished her second complete game outing in a row allowing just the two runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

Samantha Cetta went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and three runs scored. Taylor Hammock was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI, while Peyton Eschette was 2-for-2 and Sami Walter added a hit with two RBI.

Game 2

In the second game of the day, although the Wildcats would score in double figures once again with 12 runs, the story of the game came in the circle for LC as senior Lucy Lewis kept the Hardin-Simmons lineup in check the entire game.

A leadoff double in the first inning was the only hit or base runner the Cowgirls would get off Lewis for the next 14 straight batters. While Lewis was dealing in the circle, the defense behind her made the plays to keep the lineup moving quickly for HSU. Of the 15 total outs of the game, three of them were strikeouts by Lewis, three were fly balls, and nine on the ground, the drop-ball pitchers best friend. The Cowgirls struggled to find the proper timing to make solid contact all game, whereas the Wildcat batters were able to find their form against Cowgirl starter Gabby Oretega.

The Wildcats used their ample speed to score in the bottom of the second, manufacturing runs with stolen bases and bunts, playing solid small ball. A throwing error trying to nab Alyssa Ross at third on a Shelby Bergeron bunt allowed Ross to score as the ball rolled down the left field line and sent Bergeron around to third. A bunt single by Sami Walters brought in Bergeron, who stole second directly. Briley Johnston brought her in on a hit to right, then stole second and third, but was left there at inning's end.

That formula would be the success for the Wildcats the rest of the game as they racked up 10 total stolen bases in the game, the second time this year they have stolen 10 or more bases in a single game. The Wildcats added three more runs in the bottom of the third with more aggressive base running and key hits. Taylor Hammock brought in a run on a single through the left side and Sami Walter doubled to left to plate another, putting the Wildcats up 6-0 after three innings.

LC put the game away for good in the fourth with six more runs off four hits, the biggest coming on a double to left center from Mattie Stine that scored two runs and a base hit to right from Bria White that scored two more. Walters delivered the final 2-run hit to left center that made it a 12-0 LC lead and all but insured that the second game would end in five innings like the first.

The Wildcats scored 12 runs on just eight hits in the game with Sami Walters the only player with more than one hit in the game. She was 3-for-3 with four RBI and a run scored, Mattie Stine had a 2-run double, and Bria White and a 2-run single. Lucy Lewis (4-2) threw her third complete game of the season, going 5.0 innings allowing just two hits in the game and striking out three.

The Wildcats and Cowgirls will finish their three game ASC series with a single game on Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. at Wildcat Park. Stay connected to Louisiana College softball by following @LC_sftball on Twitter or liking Louisiana College Softball on Facebook. For general athletics news follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.

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