Saturday, March 16
Nacogdoches, Texas
12 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
15-12, 3-3
4
vs
2
McNeese
12-17, 4-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McNeese | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Stephen F. Austin | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Photo by: SFA Athletics
Ladyjacks Clinch Southland Series over McNeese Saturday with 4-2 Victory
3/16/2019 3:34:00 PM | Softball
SFA picks up its first league series win of the season thanks to Mackenzie Bennett’s two RBI single, Nicole Dickson earns 200th career victory as head coach
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – For the second-straight season, the SFA softball team has defeated three-time defending Southland Conference tournament champion McNeese in a league series as the Ladyjacks earned a 4-2 win Saturday afternoon in a decisive game three at SFA Softball Field. Freshman pinch hitter Mackenzie Bennett knocked in a two RBI single to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie and freshman right-handed pitcher Kassidy Wilbur tossed her eighth complete game win of the season.
Claiming its first Southland series win of 2019, SFA improved to 3-3 in conference play and 15-12 overall behind four hits, while the visiting Cowgirls (12-17, 4-2 Southland) suffered their first league series defeat of the season after lining seven hits but committing a pair of errors in the field.
Head coach Nicole Dickson, who entered 2019 with 185 career wins as a head coach, picked up her 200th career coaching victory with Saturday's triumph. She has posted 63 wins as a NCAA Division I head coach at SFA after collecting 137 wins at the junior college level – Paris Junior College and Tyler Junior College.
"Today was huge for our team," coach Dickson said after the victory. "I can't say enough good things about Mackenzie Bennett stepping up and getting the game-winning hit as a pinch hitter. As a freshman to be able come in and deliver like that when we needed it shows what the culture of our program is about. Kassidy Wilbur had another terrific game inside the circle, she was great all weekend and located and executed really well once again. We showed a lot of composure this afternoon and played with confidence. McNeese is a quality team and has been every year, for us to be able to take game three really speaks to what we are building here. Coming from behind was big, games like today are the ones where your team gets a little bit better."
"I'm very thankful and blessed to be able to do what I love everyday and that I get to coach this sport," added coach Dickson about claiming her 200th career win. "I've been surrounded by great coaching staffs and players who have bought in, and always have the support of my family and friends. It's always about the team first and foremost."
The Ladyjacks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after getting base runners at second and third, thanks to a hit-by-pitch and a single from senior third baseman Lauren Becker. Sophomore designated player Triniti Kendzior then reached home for the first run of the game on a McNeese double play.
SFA's lead would not remain for long as the visiting team tied things up at one in the top of the third. A one-out double to left field by second baseman Sara Geier led to an RBI single up the middle from left fielder Justyce McClain. After an inning and a half of scoreless play, the Cowgirls would take a 2-1 advantage in the top of the fifth. A leadoff double to left center field by designated player Demi Boudreaux was followed by a successful sacrifice bunt and a second McClain RBI single up the middle.
Despite not being able to get anything going in the bottom of the fifth, the Ladyjacks stormed back for three runs on two hits and two McNeese fielding errors in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman right fielder Alex Hedspeth led off the frame with a single to left field, before senior first baseman Margarita Corona reached on a fielder's choice and Hedspeth advanced to second on a Cowgirl fielding error. A Kendzior sacrifice bunt preceded an RBI fielder's choice from redshirt sophomore center fielder Brittany Crawford, which allowed Hedspeth to tie things up once again at 2-2.
Junior catcher Lindsay Gregory was then walked with two outs to load the bases before Bennett's two-out game-winning pinch hit to left field scored both Corona and Crawford. Freshman pinch hitter Cassidy Tucker would load the bases once again with on a second Cowgirl fielding error but a groundout ended the inning with SFA ahead 4-2. Wilbur did not give up a hit the top of the seventh and retired three of four batters to complete the game.
Crawford finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Hedspeth was also 1-for-3 with a run and Bennett 1-for-1 with her two RBI. Wilbur (9-8) struck out eight of 29 batters faced for her ninth win of the season.
McNeese's McClain went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a walk as first baseman Alexandria Saldivar was 2-for-3 and Geier 1-for-2 with a run scored. Right-handed starter Alexsandra Flores (6-7) took the loss for the Cowgirls after tossing the first five and 2/3 innings, allowing all four Ladyjack hits and an earned run with a trio of strikeouts. Right-handers Saleen Flores and Amber Coons finished out the final 1/3 of the sixth inning for McNeese.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks will step out of league action for a midweek non-conference road game at Southeastern Conference foe Texas A&M Wednesday, March 20. First pitch from Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas, is slated for 5 p.m. SFA will then return to Southland play and Nacogdoches next weekend, hosting Houston Baptist in a three-game series Friday and Saturday, March 22-23.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
-SFA-
Claiming its first Southland series win of 2019, SFA improved to 3-3 in conference play and 15-12 overall behind four hits, while the visiting Cowgirls (12-17, 4-2 Southland) suffered their first league series defeat of the season after lining seven hits but committing a pair of errors in the field.
Head coach Nicole Dickson, who entered 2019 with 185 career wins as a head coach, picked up her 200th career coaching victory with Saturday's triumph. She has posted 63 wins as a NCAA Division I head coach at SFA after collecting 137 wins at the junior college level – Paris Junior College and Tyler Junior College.
"Today was huge for our team," coach Dickson said after the victory. "I can't say enough good things about Mackenzie Bennett stepping up and getting the game-winning hit as a pinch hitter. As a freshman to be able come in and deliver like that when we needed it shows what the culture of our program is about. Kassidy Wilbur had another terrific game inside the circle, she was great all weekend and located and executed really well once again. We showed a lot of composure this afternoon and played with confidence. McNeese is a quality team and has been every year, for us to be able to take game three really speaks to what we are building here. Coming from behind was big, games like today are the ones where your team gets a little bit better."
"I'm very thankful and blessed to be able to do what I love everyday and that I get to coach this sport," added coach Dickson about claiming her 200th career win. "I've been surrounded by great coaching staffs and players who have bought in, and always have the support of my family and friends. It's always about the team first and foremost."
The Ladyjacks took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after getting base runners at second and third, thanks to a hit-by-pitch and a single from senior third baseman Lauren Becker. Sophomore designated player Triniti Kendzior then reached home for the first run of the game on a McNeese double play.
SFA's lead would not remain for long as the visiting team tied things up at one in the top of the third. A one-out double to left field by second baseman Sara Geier led to an RBI single up the middle from left fielder Justyce McClain. After an inning and a half of scoreless play, the Cowgirls would take a 2-1 advantage in the top of the fifth. A leadoff double to left center field by designated player Demi Boudreaux was followed by a successful sacrifice bunt and a second McClain RBI single up the middle.
Despite not being able to get anything going in the bottom of the fifth, the Ladyjacks stormed back for three runs on two hits and two McNeese fielding errors in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman right fielder Alex Hedspeth led off the frame with a single to left field, before senior first baseman Margarita Corona reached on a fielder's choice and Hedspeth advanced to second on a Cowgirl fielding error. A Kendzior sacrifice bunt preceded an RBI fielder's choice from redshirt sophomore center fielder Brittany Crawford, which allowed Hedspeth to tie things up once again at 2-2.
Junior catcher Lindsay Gregory was then walked with two outs to load the bases before Bennett's two-out game-winning pinch hit to left field scored both Corona and Crawford. Freshman pinch hitter Cassidy Tucker would load the bases once again with on a second Cowgirl fielding error but a groundout ended the inning with SFA ahead 4-2. Wilbur did not give up a hit the top of the seventh and retired three of four batters to complete the game.
Crawford finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Hedspeth was also 1-for-3 with a run and Bennett 1-for-1 with her two RBI. Wilbur (9-8) struck out eight of 29 batters faced for her ninth win of the season.
McNeese's McClain went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and a walk as first baseman Alexandria Saldivar was 2-for-3 and Geier 1-for-2 with a run scored. Right-handed starter Alexsandra Flores (6-7) took the loss for the Cowgirls after tossing the first five and 2/3 innings, allowing all four Ladyjack hits and an earned run with a trio of strikeouts. Right-handers Saleen Flores and Amber Coons finished out the final 1/3 of the sixth inning for McNeese.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks will step out of league action for a midweek non-conference road game at Southeastern Conference foe Texas A&M Wednesday, March 20. First pitch from Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas, is slated for 5 p.m. SFA will then return to Southland play and Nacogdoches next weekend, hosting Houston Baptist in a three-game series Friday and Saturday, March 22-23.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
-SFA-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilbur, Kassidy (9-8)
L: Flores, Alexsandra (6-7)
Batting:
2B: Boudreaux, Demi 1 ; Geier, Sara 1
RBI: McClain, Justyce 2
SH: Turbeville, Aubree 1 ; Geier, Sara 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perrin, Toni 1 ; Geier, Sara 1
PO: Devall, Gracie 1
Batting:
RBI: Crawford, Brittany 1 ; Bennett, Mackenzie 2
SH: Kendzior, Triniti 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hedspeth, Alex 1 ; Corona, Margarita 1 ; Kendzior, Triniti 1 ; Crawford, Brittany 1
HBP: Kendzior, Triniti 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball2.18.26 | SB v PVAMU Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, February 19
4.9.25 | SB v ETAMU Series Press Conference
Thursday, April 10
3.30.25 | SB v HCU Series Press Conference
Monday, March 31
3.15.25 | SB v Lamar Series Press Conference
Monday, March 17
