PINEVILLE – Another home date, another walkoff home run for Louisiana Christian University's softball team.
 
Olivia Coaker's two-run homerun in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday lifted the Wildcats to a 6-4 victory and doubleheader sweep of Rapides Parish rival LSU–Alexandria. The 'Cats won Friday's opener by a score of 7-0.
 
The blast Coaker sent over the centerfield wall was her first of the season and ended Friday's proceedings in a similar manner to LCU's doubleheader three days prior. Tuesday's doubleheader ended with the 'Cats salvaging a split with Xavier thanks to Bella Houck's three-run homerun.
 
LCU (13-11) improved to 7-1 in Red River Athletic Conference play with the victories.
 
GAME ONE: 'Cats 7, LSU–Alexandria 0
The Wildcats scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and gave freshman pitcher Arlee Darbonne more than enough run support to complete her third shutout of the season.
 
Darbonne gave up only five hits while striking out two batters over the course of the game. After LSUA stranded six baserunners over the first three innings, Darbonne yielded few opportunities after that as she retired 12 of the last 14 batters she faced.
 
Desiree Squires claimed the game-winning RBI with her single up the middle in the bottom of the first that scored leadoff batter Emma Hunt from third base. She added another RBI in the fourth with a single that scored Kayla Dauthier.
 
Dauthier and pinch hitter Hannah Harrison also knocked RBI singles in the fourth inning to help the 'Cats build a 4-0 lead. Houck then capped the inning with a bases-loaded double that scored three runs, giving her six RBIs in a two-game span.
 
The 'Cats seized momentum before their first at-bat when Dauthier made a diving catch in right field off the bat of LSUA's Haley Fontenot that ended the inning and stranded two runners in scoring position. Darbonne and her teammates got out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning when she induced groundball outs to third baseman Claire Cullen and shortstop Alyssa Landry to end the inning.
 
With the win, Darbonne won her fifth consecutive start against an NAIA opponent. She has compiled a 1.22 ERA and struck out 22 batters over 34 and one-third innings during that span.
 
GAME TWO: 'Cats 6, LSU–Alexandria 4 (eight innings)
Coaker went 3-for-4, scored twice and had four of her team's five RBIs in the game as the 'Cats claimed a dramatic win to earn the doubleheader sweep.
 
LCU never led in game two until Coaker's homerun ended the game in extra innings. The 'Cats trailed after a half-inning before Coaker tied the game in the bottom of the first with a double that scored Squires from second base.
 
Trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth, the 'Cats cut LSUA's lead in half when Squires knocked a single to right-centerfield that scored Dauthier from second base. LCU tied the game again in the fifth when an error on Dauthier's single allowed Coaker to score from second base.
 
Coaker again tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a fielder's choice groundout that allowed Hunt to score from third base.
 
Brooke Ross picked up the win in relief for LCU. She pitched the final one and two-thirds innings without giving up a hit and allowing only a walk. Ross also struck out two batters – the two batters she faced in the top of the seventh when she entered the game with one out and two runners on base.
 
Bailey McMillian pitched the first three innings for the 'Cats, while Miah Broussard tossed three and one-third innings without allowing an earned run.
 
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats return to action Friday, March 17, when they welcome Our Lady of the Lake to Wildcat Park. The Saints moved up to the No. 7 ranking in the latest NAIA softball poll.
 
First pitch between the Saints and Wildcats is scheduled for 2 p.m.

– LCU –