SHREVEPORT, La. – For the second consecutive contest between the Southwestern and Centenary is as many days, seven innings wasn’t enough as once again the Pirates emerged victorious, 3-2, this time in eight innings to eliminate the Ladies and advance to its third consecutive SCAC Softball Championship in Saturday’s tournament nightcap. Official Website l Bracket l Postgame Interview
Southwestern won the conference title in 2013 by winning twice on the final day and the Pirates will have to do that again tomorrow as they face the tournament's last undefeated team, Texas Lutheran, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Southwestern struck first taking a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI single off the bat of Kaitlynn Copher scoring Tori Montemayor.
- Junior pitcher Lindsey Longuet and the Pirate defense retired nine of the first 10 batters with Longuet picking up three strikeouts through three innings.
- Centenary tied the game in the top of the fourth inning when Sydney Hurley collected her fifth RBI of the day and seventh of the tournament on a fly ball deep enough to score Cassie Gonzales.
- The Pirates answered in the bottom half of fourth thanks to a Katelyn Francis sacrifice fly to right field, scoring who Maddie Mefford had doubled earlier in the inning to give Southwestern a 2-1 lead.
- The Ladies once again tied the game, this time off the bat of Becca McGough’s RBI single to right center, scoring Nichole Gauntt.
- After two scoreless frames, Mefford scored her second run of the game to send the Pirates into Sunday’s championship when Kylie Nixon drove her in on a walk-off single.
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Maddie Meffoerd: 2-3, 2 Runs
- Kaitlynn Copher: 1-3, 1 RBI
- Katelyn Francis: 1-1, 1 RBI, 1 BB
- Lindsey Longuet: 8.0 IP, 6 Hits, 1 ER, 5 Ks, 0 BB
CENTENARY COLLEGE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Nichole Gauntt: 2-1, 1 Run
- Cassie Gonzales: 1-4, 1 Run
- Sydney Hurley: 1 RBI
- Becca McGough: 1-3, 1 RBI
- Amberlee Nix: 7.1 IP, 8 Hits, 3 ER, 2 Ks, 3 BB
NOTABLES
- Longuet improved to 16-2 on the year after collecting her second win of the tournament and tossing her 15th complete game of the season.
- With the loss, Centenary has now finished third in the SCAC Tournament three times (2016, 2018 and 2019).
- Southwestern has won two SCAC softball championships - 2010 and 2013. In both of those tournaments, the Pirates had to win twice on Sunday to take home the crown.
- The win give Southwestern a total of 35 on the season, setting a program-high for wins in a single season, breaking the old mark of 34 set in 2013.
UP NEXT
The Pirates (35-5) square off against Texas Lutheran in the championship game of the SCAC Softball Tournament with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. Southwestern will need to defeat the Bulldogs twice to win its third SCAC title in program history. Centenary ends its season with a record of 18-23.