Ladyjacks’ Play at 2018 Southland Tournament Comes to End with 6-0 Loss

Wednesday, May 9

Lake Charles, La.

6:30 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

31-22

#8 Sam Houston State

24-32

Stephen F. Austin

Sam Houston State

Photo by: Raymond Stewart

Ladyjacks’ Play at 2018 Southland Tournament Comes to End with 6-0 Loss

5/9/2018 9:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

SFA softball defeated by No. 8 seed Sam Houston State in first round of back draw, held to just three hits

By: Luke Bolanos | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

2018 Southland Softball Tournament Central | Bracket

LAKE CHARLES, La. – In its first appearance at the Southland Tournament since 2016 and its ninth overall, the Stephen F. Austin softball team was eliminated in the first round of back draw play Wednesday night. The second-seeded Ladyjacks (31-22) were shutout 6-0 by No. 8 seed Sam Houston State (24-32), bringing an end to SFA's play at the league's championship tournament.

The Ladyjacks were held just three hits in the contest as the Bearkats lined nine. Sam Houston State right-hander Lindsey McLeod struck out a total of 11 SFA batters and the Ladyjacks were hampered by three miscues in the field. The Bearkats held a 1-0 lead through four innings of play before scoring five runs across the final two.

"Hats off to Sam Houston State pitcher (Lindsey) McLeod, I thought she threw a phenomenal game," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the loss. "Sam Houston State had quality at bats and put the ball in play hard. Makayla Sikes is a warrior, she fought to the very end and I'm really proud of her. Obviously, it wasn't the way we wanted to finish this tournament but how we finish doesn't define the things we did as a team and the type of program that we are. We are hoping to get a NISC bid and we'll go from there."

After two and a half scoreless innings, Sam Houston State took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third following a trio of SFA errors. The contest began with six consecutive batters being retired before junior first baseman Margarita Corona was walked as the first base runner of the evening.

The Bearkats notched two hits in the bottom of the second but a terrific double play by the Ladyjacks' infield quickly brought an end to the inning. A pair SFA errors in the bottom of the third gave Sam Houston State runners in the corners with just one out. A third Ladyjack error in the frame scored the first run of the game as third baseman Katie Andrie scored an unearned run to give the Bearkats a 1-0 advantage.

It wasn't until the top of the fourth that SFA earned its first hit, a two-out single to right field by senior right fielder Autumn Holloway. The Ladyjacks would get another hit in the top of the fifth, this time a one-out double from senior left fielder Madison Selman that bounced over the center field wall. However, Sam Houston State scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth.

A leadoff single for the Bearkats preceded another single and a wild pitch, before shortstop Tiffany Thompson singled to right field for an RBI and advanced to second on the throw. With two outs, second baseman Brooke Malia knocked out a two-run homer over the center field wall, making it a 4-0 game in favor of Sam Houston State.

Getting one on in the top of the sixth due to the Bearkats' lone error of the night, SFA headed to the bottom of the sixth still with a 4-0 deficit. Sam Houston State tacked on another pair of runs in the frame, claiming a single and a fielder's choice before pinch hitter Taylar Fuselier recorded a two-out, two RBI triple to right field to make the score 6-0.

Freshman center fielder Katherine Thompson doubled down the right field line with one out in the top of the seventh but that was all the Ladyjacks could get going, making the game final.

Senior right-handed pitcher Makayla Sikes (18-10) took her second loss of the day, tossing all six innings for a complete game and striking out one.

The Bearkats' McLeod (15-12) earned the complete game shutout as she struck out an impressive 11 of 27 batters faced. First baseman Codi Carpenter led Sam Houston State at the plate with a 2-for-2, one run scored performance, while Andrie was 1-for-3 with two runs and Malia 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Up Next…
SFA will now await its national postseason fate this Sunday night, May 13, as the 2018 NCAA Softball Championship selection show takes place followed by 2018 National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC) selections.

For all weather-related schedule changes affecting SFA softball throughout the 2018 Southland Softball Tournament, be sure to keep an eye on SFAJacks.com and follow SFA softball on Facebook (SFA Softball) and Twitter (@SFA_Softball).

Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the season.

-SFA-