SHREVEPORT, La. - It took a walkoff win in game one, but the Ladies made sure to score a run in the bottom of the sixth of game two to avoid the bottom of the seventh situation to complete the sweep.
Centenary (12-14) used a pair of one-run wins, 8-7 and 4-3, to sweep a doubleheader from Texas A&M Texarkana (9-16) in the first ever meeting between the two schools Wednesday afternoon, April 4.
After Centenary could not hold leads of 6-0 and 7-6 in game one, the Ladies used a key error in the bottom of the seventh to take game one. Sophomore Haley Campbell reached first to begin the frame on a throwing error by the shortstop. After being sacrificed to second, Campbell scored the winning run with a single to right field.
In game two tied at three in the bottom of the sixth, sophomore Hallie Smith walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a groundout. Junior Margeaux Smith followed with a hit to left field to put runners on the corners. Senior Jordan Hughes followed with a squeeze bunt that scored Hallie Smith to put the Ladies ahead by a run.
However, Texas A&M Texarkana threatened in the top of the seventh when the first two batters reached on bloop hits to right field. Hannah Cooper than laid down a bunt to try and move the runners into scoring position, but Centenary ran the wheel play to perfection and Campbell made a terrific backhand grab to at third to force the lead runner. A three-pitch strikeout and a groundout ended the game and finished off a Ladies sweep.
In game two, Centenary scored two in the first and one in the second to take a quick 3-0 lead. In the first, junior Payton LeBlanc was hit by a pitch and Campbell walked. After a pop up down the right field line moved LeBlanc to third, a Campbell stolen base and an RBI groundout by junior Wendy Gillet moved Campbell to third and scored LeBlanc. Hallie Smith added the two-out hit to put Centenary up two.
In the second inning with a runner on third and two outs, a bloop hit in short right field by LeBlanc scored the third Centenary run. However, the Eagles scored single tallies in the third, fifth, and sixth off of freshman Taylor Abshire to tie the game.
Junior Nichole Aldridge (6-7) threw the final two innings in the win.
Hallie Smith and Margeaux Smith both went 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Hallie added an RBI.
Cassie Vazquez (4-10) took the complete game loss for the visitors.
Game one saw plenty of fireworks from both sides. In the second inning, Hallie Smith jumped all over 3-2 fastball and hit a laser out of the park to left field for a solo home run. In the third, Centenary's first five batters all jumped on the first pitch they saw and the Ladies scored five runs on only five pitches. Margeaux Smith hit a bloop single to center field followed by a bunt single by senior Kelcey Ancelot. After LeBlanc singled in a run and put runners on the corner, a squeeze play that scored a run and produced no outs put Centenary up three. On the fifth pitch of the inning, senior Anna Dunn smashed her seventh home run of the season to left to put the Ladies up six.
Hallie Smith and Margeaux Smith led the Ladies from the plate, both going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Margeaux Smith (2-1) also took the win in relief, allowing six hits and three runs (two earned) in 2.2 innings pitched.
However, the Eagles tied the game on two separate occasions thanks to Kacey Maines, who hit for the cycle. After the double in the first, she homered to lead off the fourth and put Texas A&M Texarkana on the board. She hit an RBI single in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-4. She completed the cycle with a one-out triple in the seventh, scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game at seven.
Ashley Nipper (5-6) took the loss in relief, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) in 3.1 innings of work.
Centenary softball returns to action Monday, April 9, when it hosts Hendrix for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
