HATTIESBURG, MS – The No. 15 Louisiana State University of Alexandria softball team (22-2) swept No. 13 William Carey University (17-6) in a non-conference doubleheader.
"Proud of the girls for winning two games in completely different styles," LSUA Head Coach Trent Partridge said. "It was a big step up for us and where we want to be. Winning at Carey is never easy, our 0-9 record there before today proves that. I'm extremely happy with how the girls competed and found a way to win tough games."
GAME ONE | LSUA 2, WCU 1 (EIGHT INNINGS)
Haley Primrose (13-2) threw a complete game, bringing her season total to 12. She allowed just one run on four hits and struck out 10.
Primrose struck out two hitters in each of the first three innings. The only inning she did not record a strikeout was the eighth, where she induced three straight pop outs.
Kilee Moody and
Julia Kwakernaak both collected a pair of hits.
Madi Baker and Kwakernaak each had an RBI.
It took until the sixth inning for either offense to crack the scoreboard. A lead-off single from Moody put a runner aboard. Baker laid down a sacrifice bunt and moved Moody to second. Kwakernaak then laced a double down the left field line for a 1-0 lead.
An inning later, the Crusaders struck back. A two-out RBI single plated the tying run to force extra innings.
Haley Fontenot advanced to third with one out in the top of the eighth, after starting the inning at second. A ground ball by Baker down the first base line allowed Fontenot to scamper home for the lead.
Primrose induced three pop outs to preserve the lead and secure the victory.
GAME TWO | LSUA 13, WCU 11
Crooked numbers abound in the backend of the doubleheader. The Generals put up four multi-run innings, while the Crusaders returned the favor with three – including a five-run fifth.
Alyssa Soileau took to the circle for the start. She went 4.2 innings before being lifted for Primrose. Soileau allowed just three earned runs. Primrose (14-2) tossed 2.1 innings of relief to earn the win. She allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits.
Fontenot finished 3-for-3 and scored thrice, while Moody went 3-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored. Kwakernaak drove in a trio of runs, while Dunbar recorded two.
There were a combined seven errors from the Generals and Crusaders, leading to six unearned runs crossing the plate for each side.
An RBI ground out from Kwakernaak and an RBI double from
Kaetlyn Dunbar put the Generals ahead 2-0 in the top of the first. In the second, Moody reached on an error which saw two runs score on the play. Fontenot then stole home before Moody score on another error which allowed Kwakernaak to reach base.
After the Crusaders pushed across a run with an RBI single, Kwakernaak doubled home Moody and Fontenot in the fourth. William Carey responded by driving in two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning and bringing the score to 8-5.
The Crusaders scored five runs in the fifth, none of which we earned, tying the game at 8-8.
In the sixth, Primrose reach on an error, which allowed Dunbar to score for a 9-8 lead.
Jillian Howell than laced an RBI single to score
Kamille Lightfoot. Primrose came around to score after a fly out from Sistrunk allowed Howell to get into a rundown for an 11-8 edge.
The Crusaders got a run back in their half of the inning, but the Generals weren't done. Dunbar roped a single to let to drive in
Rylie Jeau Theriot. An infield single from Primrose plated Moody for a 13-9 lead.
LSUA's seventh inning runs came in handy as the Crusaders drove in a pair in the game's final frame to cut the score to 13-11. Primrose forced a pop-up in foul territory to end the game for the sweep.
UP NEXT
The Generals host John Melvin University for a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday, March 20, at Generals Softball Field. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
