Todd Ryals

Wildcats Stumble at UT Tyler

3/23/2018 9:30:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Louisiana College softball team took on their second top 15-ranked opponent of the week with a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Texas at Tyler. Some missed opportunities by the Wildcats in both games led to Patriot wins of 2-1 and 9-1 on Friday evening at Suddenlink Field. LC returns to action next Thursday in their first ever meeting with McMurry University at Wildcat Park.

Game 1

The Wildcats threatened to put an early run on the board in the first inning with a 2-out rally that put runners at first and second with Abby Sterling at the plate. A well-thrown rise-ball got Sterling swinging and the Wildcats were held off the board. Missed chances and opportunities would come back to haunt the Wildcats the rest of the day. Tyler got on the board in the bottom of the inning on a double to right center that brought in the run from second. Three batters later, a 2-out, infield single added another run to give the Patriots just enough room to work with the rest of the game.

The next significant threat by either team came in the top of the fourth when the Wildcats loaded the bases with just one out in the inning. Another missed chance bit the Wildcats as a tapper back to the pitcher ended the inning on a 1-2-3 double play, keeping LC off the scoreboard. The pitching of Savannah Settle kept the Wildcats in the game, as she scattered just four hits over five innings after giving up three in the first inning.

After the bases loaded double play in the fourth, the next scoring chance was again the Wildcats, and this time they would come through. With runners at the corners, Kaitlyn Moore's RBI groundout plated Sterling and moved Shelby Bergeron to second. A lengthy at-bat by Peyton Eschette, where one ball fell just inches foul that would have tied the game down the left field line, ended in a strikeout, and kept the score at 2-1 in favor of the Patriots.

The Wildcats had one last chance to tie the game in the seventh after a base hit by Sami Walters. The attempt to put her in scoring position did not pan out for LC as a perfect throw from behind the plate got Walters trying to steal second.

Sami Walters, Mattie Stine, and Abby Sterling each had two hits in the game with Kaitlyn Moore picking up the only RBI for the Wildcats. Savannah Settle (7-5) threw 6.0 innings allowing two runs on seven hits in a rare no strikeout game.

Game 2

The Patriots would strike first in the second game of the night, getting a run on a 2-out, double down the left field line to bring in the leadoff batter who singled to start the game. After a scoreless second the Wildcats got on the board in the third with a pair of key extra base hits. Briley Johnston led off the inning with a triple to right center, immediately putting her in scoring position. Two pop ups later it was Taylor Hammock that doubled over the head of the center fielder to finally bring Johnston in for the game-tying score.

It didn't take long however for Tyler to respond thanks in large part to two costly errors that loaded the bases with just one out. A double down the line in left and a sacrifice fly scored three quick runs before the Wildcats could get out of the inning, but trailed 4-1 after three innings. The Patriots added two more runs with a triple-double combo like LC did early in the game in the fourth, making the score 6-1 after four. A leadoff home run in the fifth, then and RBI single and RBI double later ended the game early with a 9-1, run-rule win for the #3 ranked team in the country.

Sami Walters, Taylor Hammock, and Briley Johnston were the only Wildcats to get hits in the game with Hammock picking up the lone RBI. Lucy Lewis (4-3) took the loss for the Wildcats allowing five runs, only two of them earned, on seven hits in 2.1 innings of work.

The Wildcats return to Wildcat Park next week for their first meeting with McMurry softball, the first-year program, in an American Southwest Conference series. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 5pm Thursday and end with a single game on Good Friday at 12pm. 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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