ALEXANDRIA, La. – It was a race against the elements as the Louisiana Christian University softball team traveled across the Red River to take on LSU Alexandria, and while the elements eventually won the race, it was the Wildcats who took the day by winning both games against the Generals, 10-8 in game one and 10-6 in a rain-shortened six innings in game two Friday evening at Generals Field.
 
Game 1 – Louisiana Christian 10, LSU Alexandria 8
 
It wasn't the best of starts for the Wildcats in game one as LSUA scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning to jump out to an early 3-0 lead. But that would be turned on its head in the third inning as LCU not only got those three runs back but put in three more on top of it.
 
The rally started right out of the gate as Jordan Dauthier and Maci Rozas led off the frame with singles. Emma Hunt drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Following a LSUA pitching change, Lexie Marks dribbled a little base hit down the first base line where no General could get there fast enough, and everyone moved up 60 feet safely including Dauthier scoring from third to get LCU on the board. Desiree Squires hit a little fly ball that popped out of the LSUA left fielder's glove, allowing Rozas and Hunt to come home to tie the score. Bella Houck then punched a ball through the left side to score Marks from third. Kayla Dauthier and Olivia Coaker both grounded out to shortstop, in the process both moving up base runners as Dauthier's grounder scored Squires and Coaker's grounder scored pinch runner Stella Shaw for a 6-3 Wildcat lead.
 
LSUA got one back in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 6-4 Wildcats after three complete innings. The score remained that way to the sixth inning where LCU got four key two-out insurance runs.
 
With two away and Maci Rozas on first base following a fielder's choice, Emma Hunt drew a base on balls and KayeLea Dearmon got a pinch-hit, infield base hit to load the bases. Desiree Squires brought two of them home as her single back up the middle plated both Rozas and Hunt. Bella Houck followed that with another shot right back up Broadway to score Lexie Marks. After a walk re-loaded the bases, Olivia Coaker also drew a free pass on ball four, forcing home Squires for a 10-4 Wildcat lead.
 
Those runs proved vital as LSUA scored one in the bottom of the sixth to make it 10-5, and then a couple Wildcat errors helped the Generals push three runs across in the seventh and bring the winning run to the plate with just one out. However, a strike out and a liner to left ended the LSUA rally and preserved the Wildcat win.
 
Desiree Squires went two-for-five in the contest with two RBI and two runs scored. Bella Houck went two-for-three with a walk and two RBI. Olivia Coaker went one-for-three with a triple, a walk, and two RBI. Lexie Marks went one-for-three with a RBI and two runs scored. Emma Hunt officially went 0-for-one but drew four walks and scored twice.
 
After a tough start, Bailey McMillian (5-3) settled in to throw all seven innings, giving up 11 hits and eight runs, five earned, walked seven and struck out one.
 
Game 2 – Louisiana Christian 10, LSU Alexandria 6 (6 innings)
 
The nightcap started quickly for LCU as Emma Hunt led of with a walk and was sacrificed over to second base. Desiree Squires hit a pitch over the center fielder's head to trade places with Hunt to make it 1-0 Wildcats. Bella Houck then dropped a base hit into left, scoring Squires from second for a 2-0 LCU lead. But LSUA quickly responded in the bottom half with a two-out, two RBI base hit to tie the score at 2-2 when the first inning ended.
 
LCU reclaimed the lead almost immediately in the second inning. Kayla Dauthier led off the inning with a base hit to left, and then Olivia Coaker reestablished the two-run lead with one swing of the bat as she homered to left to make it 4-2 LCU. However, that lead didn't last long as well as an error allowed LSUA to score two runs to tie the score at 4-4 when the second inning ended.
 
In the third inning, Miah Broussard hit a one-out double, and then with two outs, Olivia Coaker brought her home with a single up the middle to put the Wildcats back up 5-4. That's where the weather started to play a role as a storm cell moved through, delaying the game for 15 minutes before play resumed, but more importantly bringing in a cold wind that would blow in hard from left and center fields for the remainder of the contest.
 
After the LCU defense induced the first three up, three down inning of the contest in the bottom of the third, the Wildcats started to pull away. Jordan Dauthier led off the inning with a base on balls. After she stole second, Lexie Marks laid down a bunt where she reached safely, but then she saw no one covering second and moved on up to give the Wildcats runners on second and third. Desiree Squires made the Generals pay for the miscue with a shot back up the middle that plated both runners to make it 7-4. With the bases now loaded with two outs, Olivia Coaker drew a walk to force in Squires as LCU doubled up LSUA at 8-4.
 
LSUA got one run each back in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to make the score 8-6 Wildcats. LCU got the lead back up to four runs by plating a pair in the top of the sixth. Bella Houck led off the frame with a double to right, and then Miah Broussard singled through the right side to put runners on the corners. Pinch runner Stella Shaw took off for second, and the throw from the catcher went free and clear into the outfield as no one covered the base, allowing Houck to come in from third. After Shaw moved to third on a wild pitch with two outs, KayeLea Dearmon came drove a base hit through the left side of the infield, allowing Shaw to score for the 10-6 lead.
 
After the Generals got a base runner on in the sixth but could do nothing with her, the top of the seventh began as the rains started to pour for a second time. After a quick four-pitch walk to Emma Hunt opened the frame, the game was called as the field conditions deteriorated under the heavy, cold rain.
 
Six different Wildcats had two base hits in the nightcap, led by Olivia Coaker going two-for-three, including her sixth home run of the season, drew a walk, knocked in four runs, and scored once. Lexie Marks went two-for-three with a stolen base and a run scored. Desiree Squires went two-for-four with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored. Bella Houck went two-for-three with a double, a walk, a RBI, and a run scored. Miah Broussard went two-for-four with a double and a run scored. Kayla Dauthier went two-for-four and scored a run.
 
Olivia Coaker (1-0) went 4.2 innings in relief and gave up three hits and two runs, one earned, with one walk. Miah Broussard threw the first 1.1 innings and gave up four hits and four runs, three earned, with four walks and two strikeouts.
 
The Wildcats (15-8, 4-0 RRAC) head out for their first four conference road games of the season, playing all four in San Antonio next weekend. The four-game, Alamo City road trip starts on Friday with a pair of game against (RV) Our Lady of the Lake. First pitch of the doubleheader against the (RV) Saints (14-6, 2-2 RRAC) is set for 1:00 P.M. at the OLLU Softball Field.