Senior Day Sweep for Lady Wildcats

4/28/2018 11:58:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

In the final two games of the 2018 regular season the Louisiana College softball team sent their three seniors out with a pair of run-rule victories. A 2-run, walk-off single in the sixth gave LC the 8-0 win in game one and a massive eight run inning led to a 14-0 win in game two. The Wildcats now head back to the American Southwest Conference tournament next Thursday and will play Sul Ross State University at 10 a.m. in Tyler, Texas.

Game 1

The Wildcats executed textbook run manufacturing for their first score of the day in the bottom of the second inning. Briley Johnston drew a leadoff walk and then proceeded to steal both second and third base. Two batters later Samantha Cetta grounded out to short, but Johnston was easily able to score on the productive out to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Two innings later it was again the combination of Johnston and Cetta that added another run for LC. After reaching on an error the stealing second once again, Cetta brought her in on a base hit this time to left center.

The Wildcats added to their lead in the fifth, once again using their speed to do so. Catching Belhaven napping with runners at second and third, Shelby Bergeron broke for home on a soft throw back from the catcher and beat the throw back from the pitcher for a steal of home. Abby Sterling followed it up with an RBI single to left and LC had a 4-0 lead after four innings.

While the Wildcat offense pushed their lead to four through four innings, it was the performance of Lucy Lewis in the circle that sealed the Blazers fate in the game. The senior, in her final outing at Wildcat Park, retired 14 straight batters after giving up a leadoff single in the top of the second. She allowed just two hits in the game and four total base runners.

The game ended early in the bottom of the sixth as LC was able to put away Belhaven with four runs in the inning. Sami Walters started the scoring with an RBI triple to left, then with 2-out in the inning Kaitlyn Moore brought her in on a base hit to right to make it 6-0. After a walk to Johnston that loaded the bases, Peyton Eschette shot one right back up the middle on a 3-2 pitch to bring in the run-rule winning run from second.

Lucy Lewis got the win with a complete game, two hit, shutout, her second of the season. Mattie Stine, Abby Sterling, and Kaitlyn Moore all had two hits in the game while Peyton Eschette and Samantha Cette both drove in two runs each. Shelby Bergeron and Briley Johnston each stole three bases and Alyssa Ross stole two.

Game 2

Riding the emotional high of honoring seniors Lucy Lewis, Savannah Settle, and Mattie Stine between games, the Wildcats pounced on Belhaven early and often in the final game of the regular season. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Kaitlyn Moore hit a ball back up the middle to bring in a run, but a throwing error by the center fielder allowed a second run to score and put LC up 2-0. The Wildcats got another run on another throwing error, this one from the Blazers catcher as she tried to pick off the runner at third base. Briley Johnston's base hit followed with the fourth run of the inning and LC was out to a fast start.

With the early lead and ace Savannah Settle in the circle, the Wildcats didn't need much more support, but turned the offense up a notch two innings later. After a fly ball to right started the inning with an out, the Lady Wildcats rattled off seven straight hit, scoring six runs in the process. Abby Sterling, Kaitlyn Moore, Samantha Cetta, and Taylor Hammock all hit doubles in the inning and Briley Johnson tripled to left center. After batting around in the inning Allie Liles hit an RBI single and Mattie Stine drove in the final run of the inning on a base hit through the right side. LC scored eight runs on nine hits in the inning with five extra base hits to go up 12-0 on the Blazers.

The Wildcats picked up two more runs in the fourth inning on an RBI ground out by Sydney Falcon and an RBI single from Shelby Bergeron. In her final start at Wildcat Park, Savannah Settle face just one over the minimum through the run-rule shortened five inning game, with the only hit and base runner coming on a leadoff single in the fourth inning.

Settle got her 14^thwin of the season, going 5.0 innings allowing just one hit and no runs with four strikeouts, getting her second complete game of the weekend. Five different Wildcats had two or more hits in the game with Kaitlyn Moore adding three RBI and Briley Johnston two of her own. The Wildcats scored 14 runs on 14 hits and three Belhaven errors.

LC will make its 15^thappearance in the ASC Tournament next week as they take on Sul Ross at 10 a.m. in the single elimination portion of the weekend on Thursday morning. Live coverage will be provided by Texas-Tyler and links will be made available on the Louisiana College website and social media platforms. Follow @LC_sftball or @LC_Wildcats on Twitter for the latest on Louisiana College softball and the conference tournament.

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