SHREVEPORT, La. – Host Centenary kept its season alive following its second-straight elimination game victory in thrilling fashion, 9-8, scoring seven runs in its final two at bats against Dallas at the 2019 SCAC Softball Championship. Official Website l Bracket l Postgame Interview

The third-seeded Ladies will play second-seeded Southwestern in Saturday's nightcap with a trip to Sunday's conference championship game on the line.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Centenary jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third following a Margeaux Smith RBI double to score Nichole Gauntt. Smith would later come around to score after a Sydney Hurley single induced a throwing error allowing the senior to score.
• Dallas responded immediately, scoring twice in the top of the fourth following a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Mackenzie Tano, allowing Madison Coutts to score and later tied the game on a wild pitch sending Julie Duenas home.
• The Crusaders jumped ahead 5-2 in the top of the fifth courtesy of a three RBI double from Katelyn Lazarek, scoring Liz Cordova, Duenas and Coutts. 
• A Wendy Gillet RBI double, Cassie Gonzales RBI triple and a wild pitch allowed Centenary to tie the game in the home half of the fifth, 5-5.
• The back and forth affair continued into the sixth when Dallas took the lead back when Coutts delivered a two out, two RBI single to score Bri Hale and Mel Savala.
• Centenary kept answering the bell and would take the lead for good scoring four runs in the bottom half of the sixth, highlighted by a Hurley two RBI single and Gillet’s third double of the evening scoring the eventual winning run in Kelcie Bourgeois.
• Dallas would go away softly cutting the 9-7 lead to one, following a Savala RBI but grounded out with the tying run on third to end the game.

CENTENARY COLLEGE STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

• Wendy Gillet: 4-4: 2 RBI, 1 Run
• Margeaux Smith: 2-3, 3 Runs, 1 RBI
• Sydney Hurley: 2-4, 2 RBI
• Amberlee Nix: 1.1 IP, 2 Hits, 1 Run, 1 K, 0 BB

UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

• Madison Coutts: 3-4, 2 Runs, 2 RBI
• Katelyn Lazarek: 2-4, 3 RBI, 1 Run
• Mel Savala: 1-3, 1 Run, 1 RBI
• Mackenzie Tano: 1-3, 1 RBI

NOTABLES

• Centenary will play for the right to advance to the conference championship for the third time in the last four years. 
• Nix improved to 6-10 with the victory.
• Dallas (8-33) will finish in the fourth at this year's tournament - tying for the porgam's best finish, having previously finished fourth in both 2016 and 2014.

UP NEXT

The Ladies will move on to face second-seeded Southwestern University at 8 p.m. in Saturday's final elimination contest.