HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Louisiana Christian University softball team rode a strong pitching performance by
Olivia Falcon and handed (RV) William Carey its first loss of the season in splitting a doubleheader, winning game one 4-1 before dropping game two 4-0 Tuesday evening at Joseph & Nancy Fail Field.
Game 1 – Louisiana Christian 4, (RV) William Carey 1
With starting pitcher
Olivia Falcon rolling through the (RV) William Carey (9-1) line-up, all it took was one inning's worth of run production to get the win. That inning would be the fourth, which Louisiana Christian (6-3) tallied all four of its runs in the opener.
After
Kaitlyn Roberts reached on a fielder's choice with one out,
Lexi Broussard hit a ground ball to third which was thrown away, allowing Roberts to come all the way around and give LCU the lead.
Another fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases for
Christina Curtis. Curtis took advantage of the opportunity by dropping a base hit into left, scoring Broussard from third.
Isabella Battaglia followed Curtis with a base hit to the right-center gap, scoring both
Mariel Medrano and
Maci Baldwin for a 4-0 lead when the inning ended.
That was all the support Falcon needed as she was able to keep the Crusaders off the board until the bottom of the sixth inning. With runners on second and third and no outs, a ground ball to shortstop got WCU on the board with a run, however, that would be all for Carey as another ground ball to shortstop and a fly ball retired the side with no more damage done.
Falcon would have to work out of a serious jam in the seventh as William Carey got the first two batters on, bringing the tying run to the plate with no outs. But again, she worked out of the mess, getting an infield pop fly, a ground ball to third, and a fly ball to center to put up one last zero and close out the win, handing the Crusaders their first loss of the year.
Broussard, Curtis, and Battaglia had all six of LCU's hits in game one, all three getting two hits each.
Battaglia went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Curtis was 2-for three with a RBI. Broussard was 2-for-three with a RBI, a run scored, stole a base, and was hit by a pitch.
Falcon (2-1) went the distance in the circle for the Wildcats in game one to get the win, throwing all seven innings and scattering eight Crusader hits, allowing just one run, which was earned, with two strikeouts and three walks.
Game 2 – (RV) William Carey 4, Louisiana Christian 0
The Crusaders flipped the script in the nightcap, holding the Wildcats to just two hits to knock off LCU 4-0 and earn the split.
Battaglia picked up Louisiana Christian's first hit with a double down the right field line in the second inning while Medrano led off the fourth inning with a single back up the middle, accounting for the two Wildcat hits in the second game of the doubleheader.
Carey plated two runs each in the second and fourth innings to account for the scoring with the two runs in the fourth being unearned following a LCU error.
Addison Bailey (1-1) got the start and threw the first three innings, giving up two hits and two runs, both earned, with four walks and no strikeouts.
Carly Carpenter threw the fourth inning, giving up three hits and two runs, neither of which was earned. She struck out one and didn't walk any Crusader batters.
Katelyn Carpenter threw the final two innings, allowing three hits and one walk with no runs and struck out two.
The Wildcats now head to Texarkana to open Red River Athletic Conference play this weekend, taking on #22 Texas A&M-Texarkana. With the potential for inclement weather looming, the series with the #22 Eagles (5-3) was pushed back a day and will now start on Saturday with a single game set for 3 p.m. at Bramlett Field.
