Todd Ryals

Lady Wildcats Split DH with Concordia

4/6/2018 7:59:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

The Louisiana College softball team continued American Southwest Conference play on Friday evening with a doubleheader against Concordia (TX) University. After two low scoring games, the teams would split the first two games of the series with LC taking game one by a score of 4-1, but missing key scoring chances in their 3-1 loss in game two. The teams finish the series on Saturday with a 12 p.m. first pitch from Austin, Texas.

Game 1

After a scoreless first, the Wildcats got on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to their speed and base running abilities. After three stolen bases in the inning from Briley Johnston and Shelby Bergeron, the Wildcats were poised to score if they could get the 2-out hit they needed. Sami Walters delivered a shot right back to the pitcher, and was able to beat out the play at first, rounded second and forced a throw to the base that sailed into the outfield. Bergeron scored easily from second, and Walters rounded the bases back to the plate, but was called out for not stepping on home for the final out of the inning, but LC had the 2-0 lead in the game.

Two runs would be all the Wildcats would need in the game with senior ace Savannah Settle in the circle. She allowed just one hit and three total base runners through the first six inning of the game, mowing down the Concordia lineup. The Wildcats added to their lead in the fifth on an RBI double by Mattie Stine, then getting another on an RBI single by Abby Sterling in the seventh.

The long Tornado run came in the bottom of the seventh on a 2-out RBI single to center. Settle got the final out with her eighth strikeout of the game, picking up her 10^th win of the season in the process. She tossed her 11^th complete game of the year, going 7.0 innings giving up just the one run on five hits with eight punch-outs.

Sami Walters was 3-for-4 at the plate in the game from the leadoff spot. Stine and Sterling each had a pair of hits in the middle of the order and Bergeron was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stole base. Briley Johnston added another hit and two more steals, giving her 30 for the season.

Game 2

Concordia struck first in the second game of the day, taking the lead on a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the second inning. The small lead went unthreatened for the next two innings as the Wildcats were retired in order in both the third and fourth innings. LC would make a push to get the run back, however, in the top of the fifth.

A fielder's choice and a single to left put two runners on base, which was followed shortly by a double steal of second and third, putting the go-ahead run at second with just one out. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that would be the first missed chance to take the lead of the game as the next two batters went done on a strikeout and foul out. Concordia would take advantage of the missed chance and add to their lead in the bottom of the inning on a 2-out RBI single to left to go up 3-0 after five.

The Wildcats came back quickly in the top of the sixth with a double from Kaitlyn Moore and an infield single by Mattie Stine to put the first two runners on with no out in the inning. Pinch runner Kourtney LeBlanc's steal of second put runners at second and third, which was followed by a ground ball to short that brought Moore in from third, but LeBlanc was caught between bases and tagged out at second for the first out. After a walk and an infield single, LC had the bases loaded with still just one out, but once again the Wildcats could not come through with the hits they needed as the next two batters struck out and grounded out to end the threat.

The Wildcats could not put together any sort of threat in the seventh, and Concordia held on for the 3-1 win in the second game of the doubleheader. Cameron Crochet (1-4) took the loss for the Wildcats, despite allowing just three runs on five hits in the game in 4.2 innings of work. Savannah Settle threw 1.1 innings of relief, giving up just one hits and no runs with a strikeout.

The Wildcat offense scattered six hits over the game with Briley Johnston going 2-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base, putting her one steal shy of tying the single season steals record. Stine was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and Kaitlyn Moore added a two-bagger of her own in the game.

The Wildcats and Tornado will wrap up their three game series in the Texas capital on Saturday afternoon with a 12 p.m. first pitch. 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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