JOURNAL SPORTS
NATCHITOCHES – Two stellar pitching performances over senior weekend led the Lady Demons to a three-game sweep over Incarnate Word in their Southland Conference softball series.
In game one of Friday’s doubleheader, Sage Hoover threw the 15th no-hitter in NSU program history and secured the 1-0 victory over the Lady Cardinals (13-30, 3-9 SLC). Hoover now has the most single-season strikeouts (156) under coach Donald Pickett’s tenure. In Friday’s second game, Bailie Ragsdale’s two-run double set the Lady Demons (28-17, 10-5) up for a series-clinching 5-3 victory.
Bronte Rhoden threw the second complete-game shutout of the weekend and reached a new career-high in strikeouts (12) in the Lady Demons’ 2-0 victory in Saturday’s finale. It was the ninth shutout this season for the NSU pitching staff and the 16th time they have struck out 10 or more batters in a game.
LOUISIANA TECH – The Techsters (32-17, 12-6 C-USA) moved into a two-way tie with Marshall for third place in the Conference USA standings with their weekend conference sweep of UAB (21-21, 9-8).
Tech run-ruled the Blazers 9-1 in six innings in Friday’s game one at Dr. Billy Bundrick Field. Brooke Diaz recorded a two-out, game winning walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Techsters to a 4-3 victory in game two Saturday. In Sunday’s conference finale, Sierra Sacco reached base four times, scored two runs and made an incredible defensive play in the first inning to rob a three-run homer from the Blazers.
ULM – The Lady Warhawks (23-20, 9-12 Sun Belt) were swept at home in their conference series against South Alabama (20-17, 12-4 over the weekend. ULM fell 4-1in game one on Friday and dropped Saturday’s game 5-4.
On Sunday’s 2-0 loss, ULM had three hits in the first four innings, but the bats were quiet the rest of the game. Kinsey Kackley (8-7) took the loss in two innings of work. Kassidy Giddens gave up five hits in five innings of work.
LSU – In Athens, Ga., the No. 21 Lady Tigers (30-17, 10-8 SEC) rallied to force extra innings and put up four runs in the eighth inning to steal game three and the conference series from No. 14 Georgia 9-5 on Sunday afternoon. Georgia Clark hit her second grand slam of the season and led LSU with four RBIs. Ali Kilponen threw a complete game and improved to 16-4 after striking out seven batters and allowing five runs on nine hits.
Taylor Pleasants turned in her second consecutive three-hit game to lead LSU to an 8-1 upset over the No. 13 Bulldogs 8-1 in Friday night’s series opener. Kilponen recorded six strikeouts to improve her record to 15-4. Georgia (37-11, 10-8) evened the series 1-1 on Saturday with a 16-9 win behind a 12-run first inning.
BOSSIER PARISH CC – The Cavaliers improved to 33-9 after sweeping LSU-Eunice 2-1 and 6-1 in Saturday’s doubleheader. Primrose Aholelei allowed three hits and struck out 10 in game one. In game two, Frances Robinson, Kennedy Cox (3 RBI), and Alohilani Napalapalai all had multiple hits for BPCC. Napalapalai also pitched five hitless innings for the Cavs.
GRAMBLING – After taking game one of their SWAC series opener against Southern 1-0 on Friday, the Lady Tigers (21-17, 8-10 SWAC) captured both games of Saturday’s doubleheader to sweep the Lady Jaguars (10-31, 8-13).
Sherrell Matthews (5-3) recorded the victory for Grambling in Saturday’s first game, allowing only one run in seven innings in the Lady Tigers’ 6-1 win. In the series finale, Grambling scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on for a 4-3 victory. Payton Shells (5-3) got the win for the Lady Tigers.
CENTENARY – While Centenary dropped Sunday’s game three of its Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference series 7-1 to the University of St. Thomas (22-13, 14-7 SCAC) in Houston, it was the split of Saturday’s doubleheader that clinched the Ladies’ berth in the 2022 SCAC Championship next weekend in Irving, Texas.
After dropping game one 2-1 on Saturday, Centenary (14-19, 7-14 SCAC) came back to take a 6-5 victory in game two that secured the playoff berth for the sixth straight time.
Photo by CHRIS REICH, Northwestern State
