HOBBS, N.M. – The Louisiana Christian University softball team wrapped up a three-game sweep of the University of the Southwest by scoring three runs in the first two innings and controlling the action from there in a 5-2 win over the Mustangs Saturday afternoon at Baker Field.
Louisiana Christian (12-11, 4-5 RRAC) jumped in front quickly as
Mariel Medrano led off the game with a walk. She then stole both second and third bases and came home on
Maci Baldwin's ground ball to second for a 1-0 Wildcat lead.
The lead was extended in the second as
Cecilia Bookman dropped a base hit into center field with one out. She was immediately followed by
Myah Talbert, who crushed her second home run of the weekend, a two-run blast which made it 3-0 LCU after two.
Southwest (2-15, 0-9 RRAC) got its first run of the game on a RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, pulling the deficit down to 3-1.
LCU got that run back in the top of the fifth as Baldwin singled to center with one out. She then stole second and came all the way home as the Mustang second baseman misplayed a ground ball by
Madelyn Bourgoyne, making it 4-1 Wildcats.
It became a four-run game in the sixth as Bookman watched ball four go by to lead off the inning with a walk.
Sydney Viallon, who came in to run for Bookman, stole second and came home on Medrano's RBI triple to center with two outs.
USW made a run at getting back in the game in the bottom of the sixth. The Mustangs put runners on the corners with one out, getting a sacrifice fly to left to score a run, cutting the Wildcat lead down to 5-2. A walk and an infield base hit loaded the bases with two outs, bringing the leading run to the plate. However, LCU got out of the jam with a ground ball to second to retire the side, stranding the bases loaded. That would be USW's final threat of the day as the Mustangs were retired in order in the seventh to end the contest.
Talbert's home run was her second of the season. It was her lone hit in three at-bats and accounted for both of her RBI as well as her one run scored in the game.
Medrano was 1-for-3 with a triple, a walk, stole two bases, knocked in a run, and scored once.
Baldwin was also 1-for-three with a walk, stole two bases, scored once, and had a RBI.
Bourgoyne and Bookman had LCU's two other hits in the game with Bookman also drawing a pair of walks.
Malee Stanley (1-0) came on in the fourth inning and threw 3.0 innings from the circle. She allowed four hits and two runs, both earned, with two strikeouts and a pair of walks to pick up her first win of the season.
Katelyn Carpenter got the start and threw 3.0 hitless, shutout innings, walking four and striking out three.
Samantha Hill picked up her first save of the season as she threw the seventh inning and got the Mustangs in order to close the door.
The Wildcats look to use the momentum of the series sweep as they step out of conference action with a trip to the state's capital city for a midweek doubleheader against NCAA Division I Southern University. First pitch of game one of Tuesday's twin bill against the Jaguars (13-10, 3-3 SWAC) is set for 1 p.m. at Lady Jaguar Field.
