Box Score

For the third year in a row, the Louisiana College softball team has celebrated a walk-off win in the American Southwest Conference Tournament. The 2018 edition came in the opening game of the tournament as senior Mattie Stine hit a seeing-eye single up the middle that brought Sami Walters in from second to give LC the 3-2 win over Sul Ross State University. The victory eliminates the Lobos from the tournament and sets of a 4 p.m. date between the Wildcats and Concordia (Texas) for a spot in the double-elimination bracket Friday.
 
The Wildcats started out strong in the first inning after starting pitcher Savannah Settle retired the first three batters in order with ease. With runners at second and third and two out, Taylor Hammock got LC's first big hit of the game, an infield single to short that brought Shelby Bergeron in for the first run of the game. On the very next pitch, Haliee Wilkins scampered home as the ball got away from the Sul Ross catcher making it 2-0 Wildcats at the end of the first.
 
It was a leadoff double in the top of the third that gave the Lobos some momentum on which they would capitalize. With two out in the inning and runners on first and second, another double to straight away center allowed the Lobos to tie the game on their second and final hit of the game. After the big double that tied the game, neither team was able to find the scoreboard until the seventh inning.
 
LC had chances in the fourth, fifth, and sixth with runners in scoring position, but each time were unable to get the key needed hit that would put them on top. After the anomaly inning in the third for Settle, she got back on track the rest of the game, retiring 11 batters in a row until a seventh inning walk broke the streak. She got the next two out with a fly ball to center and a grounder to second and gave the offense a chance to win it in regulation.
 
A clean single by Walters put the winning run on base with one out in the inning, she then stole second to get into scoring position for Bergeron. After a lengthy at-bat, Bergeron drew a walk bringing Mattie Stine to the plate with the chance to win the game for the Wildcats. A bouncing ball right back up the middle found its way into the outfield at the perfect speed to allow Walters to race around third and score without a throw and eliminate the Lobos.

Head Coach Bobby Buchanan was able to accomplish something not many do in their first season as head coach, win a game in the conference tournament. 

"It's an unbelievable feeling," Buchanan said. "We exceeded a lot of expectations this year and this in my opinion was another. This win was special in a lot of ways. I mean it was a representation of all the hard work that we put into this season and reaping the rewards."
 
Shelby Bergeron and Mattie Stine each had a pair of hits in the game for the Wildcats as they totaled eight in the game. The Wildcats stole eight total bases as well, with Bergeron swiping three giving her 30 for the season and freshman Briley Johnston got another to become the first player with 40 steals for LC in a single season. Bergeron and Johnston are the first duo of players to ever have 30 or more steals in the same year for Louisiana College.
 
Savannah Settle turned in yet another outstanding performance in the conference tournament, allowing just two runs, both of them unearned, on two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. She needs just three more Ks to become just the third pitcher in Louisiana College history to record 500 strikeouts in a career, joining Renee Schwartzenberg and Sandi Clark in the elite group.
 
The Wildcats will take on Concordia at 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon in another elimination game. The winner of that matchup will advance to Friday's double-elimination bracket with a 10 a.m. contest against #2 seed East Texas Baptist University. Stay connected to Louisiana College softball by following @LC_sftball on Twitter for live updates throughout the tournament. For general athletics news follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.