FAYETTE, MO – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria softball team opened the NAIA Opening Round with a 6-0 win over five-seeded Tennessee Southern.
 
"Super excited, it's the word we always use," LSUA Head Coach Trent Partridge said. "It's awesome to go out and get a win on the first day to set you up for the rest of the week you're here. To get that first one, it knocks the rust off and you're excited to get to the next one."
 
Haley Primrose (25-5) tossed a two-hit shutout and Kamille Lightfoot launched her seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot in the fourth.
 
Primrose was dealing for the Generals (47-7). She struck out six of the first 10 hitters she faced. Primrose also snagged a line drive in the top of the first and doubled off a runner at first to end the inning. She finished with seven strikeouts and three walks. The Jasper, Texas native did not allow a hit after the third inning and allowed only allowed more than one base runner in an inning once – in the first.
 
"I was really focused on getting the lefties out," Primrose said. "I wasn't too worried about strikeouts, I wanted easy ground balls. I was pleased with what happened."
 
Lightfoot collected a pair of hits and finished 2-for-3. She dropped down a perfectly-placed bunt single in her first at-bat before launching a 1-2 offering 230-feet to center field for a two-run home run in the fourth.
 
"Coach has said over the season, to take advantage when pitchers miss over the plate," Lightfoot said. "The pitch she threw was in the zone and I swung hard."
 
Madi Baker recorded LSUA's first RBI against the Firehawks (31-20). She roped a double down the right field line in the third, scoring Haley Fontenot. Baker came around to score on a throwing error off Julia Kwakernaak's single. An RBI single from Primrose drove in Kwakernaak. Kaetlyn Dunbar drove in the final LSUA run of the inning, lacing a single up the middle to score pinch runner Madison Nelson. All four runs came with two outs.
 
"Our motto all year has been put pressure on somebody," Partridge added. "To be a tough two out hitting team, the big talking point all week was, when we get runners in scoring position we have to put balls in play."
 
The Generals take on host and two-seed Central Methodist University on Tuesday, May 13, at 2:30 pm.