LSCPA sports information

PASADENA – Lamar State College Port Arthur took an early lead against Angelina College in the first round of the NJCAA Region XIV softball tournament Thursday afternoon, but too many missed opportunities eventually spelled doom for the Seahawks as they fell 9-1.

The Seahawks head to the consolation bracket Friday with a 12:30 p.m. do-or-die showdown against the winner of Thursday afternoon’s first-round game between Paris College and Galveston College. The tournament is taking place at San Jacinto College-South.

The Seahawks dominated early against Angelina, getting the job done in the field, on the mound and at the plate. By the end of two innings, LSCPA led 1-0 and the Roadrunners were hitless.

But even as the Seahawks seemed in control of the game, cracks began to show and Angelina would soon take advantage. Twice in the early innings the Seahawks left the bases loaded, eventually leaving 10 potential runs standing on the bases in the game.

In the third inning, Angelina finally got runners on base thanks to back-to-back errors by LSCPA. With runners at second and third, Nederland High School graduate Taylor Davis slapped a home run to centerfield for a 3-1 Angelina lead. After a three-up, three-down inning in the fourth for the Hawks, Angelina added another run in the bottom half of the inning that featured two more fielding errors by LSCPA.

“We created opportunities for ourselves but we weren’t able to take advantage of them,” LSCPA head coach Vance Edwards said. “Leaving the bases loaded twice can affect your mindset and it got to us a little. We made mistakes and Angelina took advantage.”

It appeared the Seahawks might mount a comeback in the face of a 4-1 fifth-inning deficit when Rebecca Hernandez singled and Anessa Sanchez reached after being hit by a pitch. But, the Hawks hit into a double play to end the threat.

Angelina added five more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, four on a pair of home runs, ending the game on the tournament’s run rule at 9-1.

“We have to put this one behind us and focus on Friday,” Edwards said. “We have our backs to the wall now. One more loss and our season is done. But this team has stepped up more than once this season in tough situations and I expect they’ll show up tomorrow ready to win and keep this season going.”

Hernandez led the Seahawks at the plate, going 2 for 3, while Kayla Sheridan picked up the lone run batted in for the game for her Hawks after going 1 for 3. Sanchez and McKenzie Andrus each also had one hit.

Angelica Rogers started the game on the hill for the Seahawks, working four innings, giving up four runs, though all were unearned. She also had two strikeouts and a walk.

Hernandez worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing five earned runs on three hits.