SHREVEPORT. La. - Ladies Softball picked the right day to get its home run swing going.
The Maroon and White clubbed five home runs and the relief pitchers in both games were able to shut the Crusaders offense down as Centenary (15-17, 6-8 Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference) blasted Dallas (6-24, 1-13 SCAC) in game one in five innings, 11-3, before scoring seven unanswered to win game two, 9-4, to finish the doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon, April 14.
Anna Dunn made sure her senior day was memorable, going 6-for-7 with two home runs and six RBIs in two games. Already entering the day leading the SCAC in home runs, she took over the top spot in RBIs and moved in to second in batting average (.407). Dunn and junior Margeaux Smith teamed up to hit home runs on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the first in game two.
Dunn later added insurance to the Ladies slim 5-4 lead with a two-run home run in the fifth and a double with the bases loaded in the sixth.
After Dallas scored a run in the top of the first in game two, Smith and Dunn hit their back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the inning. The Crusaders tied the game with a single tally in the second and took a 4-2 lead on Liz Cordova's two-run home run in the third, but Centenary scored three unearned in the fourth to go back on top.
With one out, junior Cassie Gonzales singled and classmate Wendy Gillet reached on an error. A wild pitch and stolen base moved both runners into scoring position, and a two out, pinch hit single off the third baseman's glove by sophomore Hallie Smith tied the game. After a stolen base, junior Payton LeBlanc's infield single put runners on the corners. LeBlanc then faked a steal and got in a run down, but the runner on third scored before the tag of LeBlanc as Centenary took the lead.
Dunn helped put the game away with her two-run home run in the fifth and her bases loaded, two-RBI double in the sixth. She finished the game with a single, double, and two round trippers in four at-bats with five RBIs and two runs scored in game two.
Freshman Taylor Abshire (4-6) picked up the win in relief, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out three in 5.2 innings of work.
Lauren Galvan (3-12) took the loss in the circle for the Crusaders, allowing eight hits and seven runs (four earned) in four innings.
In game one, Dallas scored three in the first before the Centenary offense warmed up and scored 11 to run rule the visitors. Down 3-1 in the second, Gillet began the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. With a major shift that saw three infielders on the left side for senior Kelsey Ancelot, she grounded the ball to deep short. The throw home was not in time to get Gillet as Centenary pulled within one. Ancelot then stole second and swiped third on LeBlanc's walk. After an RBI groundout tied the game, Dunn singled to left field to score the go-ahead run. Junior Sydney Hurley capped the inning with two-run home run to left.
Centenary scored three in the third from one of the most unlikely of sources. With two outs and two on base, slap hitter LeBlanc drove the 0-1 pitch to deep left. The ball just cleared the fence for her first collegiate home run. LeBlanc's single up the middle in the fifth scored a pair and ended the game.
LeBlanc, Gillet, Dunn, and Hurley both tallied a pair of hits in the game. LeBlanc drove in five while Dunn plated three. Margeaux Smith (3-2) picked up the win in relief, allowing four hits in 4.2 innings pitched.
Dallas scored three in the first of game one. With one out and runners on the corner, Gabbie Underwood singled and then swiped second. Cordova singled through the left side to plate a pair of Crusaders.
Maggie Watts (3-11) took the loss in the circle for Dallas, allowing six hits and six runs in 1.2 innings of work.
Centenary returns to action Sunday afternoon for its final home games of the season. First pitch in the doubleheader is slated for noon.
