Shreveport- The Centenary softball team dropped the rubber game of its opening Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference series on Sunday 10-6 to the University of St. Thomas Celts at the Centenary Softball Complex.
The Ladies (5-12, 1-2 SCAC) and Celts (14-6, 2-1 SCAC) split a doubleheader on Saturday as the Maroon and White edged the visitors 2-1 in game one and the Celts responded with a 9-0 win in six innings in the second game.
The Celts scored two in the top of the first inning but the Ladies immediately answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half. UST then erupted for five runs in the top of the second followed by a run by Centenary in its half to make it a 7-3 game after two innings. Each team scored one run in the third and the Ladies scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to cut their deficit to 8-6 after five. St. Thomas, though, scored a run in the sixth and one more in the seventh to extend its lead to four and held on for the win.
Centenary finished with 11 hits and drew a pair pf walks, but left 10 on base and struck out five times while committing one error. St. Thomas pounded out 17 hits, drew three walks, and left 12 on. The Celts struck out six times and made two errors.
Sophomore P Anna Scarbrock (Alexandria, La.) suffered the loss for the Ladies as she lasted just 1.1 innings and allowed five runs, all earned, on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts. She faced 10 batters and gave way to freshman Emma Crow (Krotz Springs, La.) who went an inning and allowed three earned runs on six hits with a walk and a K. Freshman Alexis Roach (Pineville, La.) was the Ladies' third and final pitcher of the game as she pitched the final 4.2 innings and allowed two runs, both earned, on six hits with a walk and three K's.
Allison Hughes started for the Celts and went 2.1 innings and allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits with a walk and two K's and allowed two home runs. She faced 14 batters and hit one. Bailey Tisdale (7-2) came on in relief and picked up the win as she pitched the final 4.2 innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits with a walk, a hit batter, three K's and allowed a homer.
Sophomore C Viviana Rivero (Redondo Beach, Calif.) had a big day at the plate as she belted a pair of home runs and finished 2-4 with two RBI and two runs scored and became the first Centenary player to hit two HR's in a game since All-American Anna Dunn did so against Dallas on April 14, 2018. Rivero hit a one-out solo homer to center in the third and went deep again to lead off the fifth. Rivero now has a team-leading three home runs this season.
Freshman 3B Jaeden Thrasher (Forney, Texas) also homered, her second this season, hitting a solo shot with two outs in the first. She hit her first bomb of the season against Eastern Connecticut State on Wednesday. She finished Sunday's game 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Junior 1B Isabelle Dominguez (Newark, Calif.) went 2-4 with a double and two runs scored, and junior RF Mackenzie Cox (Alexandria, La.) was 1-2 with a triple, sacrifice fly, a walk, two RBI, and a run scored.
Freshman 2B Catherine Stokes (Natchitoches, La.) was 0-2 with a walk and an RBI as she delivered a sac fly, senior LF Kaylea Patridge (Las Vegas, Nev.) finished 1-4. Senior CF Mallory Stout (Trinity, Texas) went 1-4, sophomore DP Kaitlyn Dickey (Church Point, La.) was 2-4, and sophomore SS Brooke Sandefur (Baton Rouge, La.) finished 1-3.
Celts' C Chloe Bennett went 5-5 with a three-run HR, a double, and scored three runs. DP Adelyn Becerra was 4-5 with three RBI, two doubles, and a run scored. LF Rebecca Archibald and 3B Jaelyn Simmons each had two hits and SS Lindsey Gonzales was 1-3 with two runs scored and two walks.
Centenary remains at home next weekend for a tough test against the nationally-ranked and conference leader Texas Lutheran University Bulldogs (13-2, 3-0 SCAC) who are ranked fourth in the country by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/sball/2022-23/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests and Live stats and live video stream are available for all home contests as well. Please note that all dates and times are subject to change.
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