Louisiana College Wins Regional
(Staff Photo By Mark Roberts)
WORLD SERIES BOUND: Louisiana College players congratulate each other after defeating Mary Hardin-Baylor, 6-2, Sunday at UT Tyler Ballpark to earn a berth in the NCAA Division III Softball World Series. The Wildcats were undefeated in the Tyler Regional.
By PHIL HICKS
Sports Editor
Louisiana College is headed to the softball world series for the first time.
Sports Editor
Louisiana College is headed to the softball world series for the first time.
The Lady Wildcats, paced by the pitching of Kelly Williams and the bats of Jessica Thompson and Erica Harwell, scored a 6-2 victory over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor before 300 fans in the championship game of the Tyler Regional at UT Tyler Ballpark.
The victory means Louisiana College will participate in the NCAA Division III Softball World Series May 16-20 in Salem, Va. The Lady Wildcats (42-5) will be the No. 1 seed and will play eighth seed, Rhode Island College on Friday.
Williams (9-2) went the distance on the circle, allowing just two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. Both runs were allowed in the seventh.
LC was undefeated in the tournament. Mary Hardin-Baylor (35-11) needed to beat the Lady Wildcats twice on Sunday to advance.
Thompson and Harwell led the Lady Wildcats by going 2-for-4, while Thompson added a run and an RBI. Ashleigh Clement scored two runs while adding an RBI.
Both Williams and Lady Cru pitcher Kelsey Greeson were in control for much of the game as the contest remained scoreless until the bottom of the fifth. In the fifth, Clement scored off an infield error by the Lady Cru.
The Lady Wildcats then exploded for five runs in the sixth for a 6-0 lead, sparked by Lacee Chruma’s double.
In the top of the seventh, the Lady Cru made things interesting by scoring two runs and loading the bases. However, Williams got out of the jam and the celebration began for the Pineville, La., school.
Kacie Kripner led the Lady Cru with three hits, while Sara Roman had two singles.
Williams, Clement, Thompson and Harwell all made the all-tournament team. Also, LC pitcher Rene Schwartzenburg was on the squad.
Erica Salazar, Megan Bohne and Greeson represented Mary Hardin-Baylor.
UT Tyler, appearing in the NCAA Tournament in its first year of eligibility, finished third in the tourney meaning the top three teams were from the American Southwest Conference.
Other teams in the tourney were defending national champion Linfield (Ore.), Chapman (Calif.), Redlands (Calif.) and La Verne (Calif.).
Three Patriots made the all-tournament team — catcher Brittanni Hanna, outfielder Julie Smith and designated player Megan “Roo” Richardson.
UT Tyler, coached by Mike Reed, set a school record with 43 victories and only nine defeats.
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