SOFTBALL: Lamar swept on senior day
Published 12:28 am Sunday, April 28, 2019
BEAUMONT — Playing its final home games of the regular season at the LU Softball Complex, the Lamar softball team battled the second-best team, Nicholls State, in the Southland in both games. LU was defeated in game one, 3-0, before falling 3-1 in game two.
Following the second game of the doubleheader, the Cardinals honored its six members of the senior class.
Lamar falls to 23-30 on the season and 14-10 in Southland play. With the win yesterday, LU clinched a berth to the Southland Tournament.
Nicholls 3, Lamar 0
Erin Kyle settled in quickly, as she threw four pitches to retire the side in the first. In the bottom of the frame, Shannon Klaus led off with a single to right field. She later stole second but would be left stranded on base for the Cardinals.
Nicholls scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. Clement doubled to left center before going to third on a ground out. With Clement on third, Garcia grounded out that score the first run of the game.
Neither team could get anything going after the run scored until the top of the fourth inning when the Colonels had back to back singles to start the inning off. After Kyle got a fly out, she got Dares to line to a double play to end the inning.
Lamar looked to get a two-out rally going in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kelly Meeuwsen singled through the right side. Taylor Murphy followed with a single of her own putting two. They would be left stranded on base for LU.
Nicholls added to its lead in the top of the sixth inning when they scored two runs on three hits and took advantage of a Cardinal error.
Trailing 3-0, Shaina Amir doubled to left field to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning. Amir went to third on a fly out by Kimberly Mattox but would be left stranded as the next two Cards popped out to end the inning.
Heading to the bottom of the seventh, LU trailed 3-0. With one out, Taylor Davis doubled down the left field line. However, she would be left stranded on base and LU would drop game one, 3-0.
Nicholls 3, Lamar 1
Pitching dominated game two of the doubleheader as both teams combined for two hits in the first four innings of the contest. Both hits were in favor of the Colonels. In the top of the second inning, Dares singled to left field to start the inning off. Later in the inning, Villanfranco doubled home the run putting Nicholls ahead 1-0.
Nicholls starter, Danehower kept the Cards off balance at the plate as she pitched six innings of no-hit ball. LU put runners on base against Danehower throughout the contest as she walked four in the contest.
The Colonels added to its lead in the top of the fifth when they scored two runs on two hits and took advantage of one Cardinal error. After four and a half innings, LU trailed 3-0.
Entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cardinals’ Meeuwsen doubled to left center. The double was her 43rd of her career which set the LU career doubles record. She went to third on a ground out.
Meeuwsen stood on third base with Maddy Myers at the plate. Myers hit a ball to the hole at shortstop for a base hit scoring one putting LU down 3-1. That would be all LU would get as they would be defeated 3-1 by Nicholls in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Cards return to action on Friday when they travel to Lake Charles to face rival McNeese State in the Battle of the Border. First-pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Joe Miller Field.