Saturday, April 27
Nacogdoches, Texas
12 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin
3
vs
2
Northwestern State
Photo by: SFA Athletics
Lindsay Gregory, Ladyjacks Walk-Off Northwestern State 3-2 in Extras to Sweep Southland Series
4/27/2019 4:03:00 PM | Softball
SFA softball claims its third Southland Conference series sweep of season, junior catcher Lindsay Gregory knocks in RBI single for second home walk-off in eighth inning
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – For the second time of the 2019 SFA softball season junior catcher Lindsay Gregory recorded an RBI walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning, doing so Saturday afternoon to give the Ladyjacks their third Southland Conference series sweep of the year. SFA (33-17, 17-7 Southland) earned its second extra-inning league victory of the season with a 3-2 triumph in eight innings over visiting Northwestern State in the final game of the Ladyjacks' regular season home schedule on senior day.
Gregory's heroics came with a 2-2 tie following seven full innings of play after senior first baseman Margarita Corona put SFA ahead 2-0 in the first with her 12th home run of the season. Corona's two-run blast in the opening inning tied the single-season program record for home runs.
Lining just six hits on the day, the Ladyjacks were able to overcome eight hits by the Lady Demons (24-24, 13-11 Southland) and six scoreless home frames between the first and eighth inning.
With a quintuplet of SFA seniors honored prior to the game - Lauren Becker, Courtney Brown, Margarita Corona, Shay Vegas and Emily Wolfe - all five would get a starting nod in their final game donning the Purple and White at SFA Softball Field.
"We showed a lot of heart today and fought on every pitch," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the win. "I'm extremely proud of the leadership shown by both Margarita Corona and Lindsay Gregory, those two never gave up and provided big at bats when we needed them. We knew it was going to be a fight today against a very good Northwestern State team but we stayed consistent and focused to get the win."
"I'm grateful for the five seniors on this team and what they've been able to do for our program," coach Dickson added. "Becker, Brown, Corona, Vegas and Wolfe have each played a vital role in laying the foundation of what we're building here. They bought in and we couldn't be having the success we are without their dedication and hard work."
A leadoff single to second base from sophomore second baseman Bryana Novegil, a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Becker and a wild pitch set up Corona's one-out two RBI shot that cleared the left field fence in the bottom of the opening inning. The Ladyjacks continued to lead 2-0 through the third inning before Northwestern State made it a one-run game in the top of the fourth.
Lady Demon catcher Alexis Perry led off the inning with a solo home run down the left field line on a 1-1 pitch to make it 2-1. After SFA was unable to bring anybody across home plate in the bottom of the fourth, Northwestern State knotted things up at 2-2 in the top of the fifth. Perry once again gave the Lady Demons hope when she doubled to the center field fence with two outs for an RBI after designated player E.C. Delafield was hit by a pitch.
Held to just one hit across the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, the Ladyjacks entered the extra inning of play with freshman right-handed reliever Kassidy Wilbur retiring three straight in the top of the eighth. Corona would then leadoff the bottom of the inning with her second walk of the afternoon, before freshman right fielder Alex Hedspeth connected on a one-out single up the middle. Gregory stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second and just one out and drove in the walk-off RBI single on a 2-2 pitch, clearing the third baseman's head near the left field line and bringing sophomore pinch runner Marisa Arriaga across the dish for the game-winning run.
Corona continued her fabulous week by going 1-for-2 with two RBI, two walks and a run scored, while Hedspeth finished the game 2-for-3 at the dish. Gregory was 1-for-1 with her walk-off after entering the game in the sixth. Junior right-handed started Ashley Kriesel went five complete innings and struck out three, before Wilbur (19-11) picked up her 19th victory of the season inside the circle with one strikeout and just one hit allowed across the final three innings.
Perry went 2-for-4 for the Lady Demons with two RBI and a run scored as right fielder Codi Vernace was 2-for-4 as well. Northwestern State senior right-handed starter Mikayla Brown (3-7) threw a complete game, taking the loss with three earned runs allowed and four strikeouts.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks wrap up regular season action next weekend, Friday and Saturday, May 3-4 at Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas. The three-game Southland series finale will get underway Friday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. before the final game of the regular season Saturday at 12 p.m.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
-SFA-
Gregory's heroics came with a 2-2 tie following seven full innings of play after senior first baseman Margarita Corona put SFA ahead 2-0 in the first with her 12th home run of the season. Corona's two-run blast in the opening inning tied the single-season program record for home runs.
Lining just six hits on the day, the Ladyjacks were able to overcome eight hits by the Lady Demons (24-24, 13-11 Southland) and six scoreless home frames between the first and eighth inning.
With a quintuplet of SFA seniors honored prior to the game - Lauren Becker, Courtney Brown, Margarita Corona, Shay Vegas and Emily Wolfe - all five would get a starting nod in their final game donning the Purple and White at SFA Softball Field.
"We showed a lot of heart today and fought on every pitch," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the win. "I'm extremely proud of the leadership shown by both Margarita Corona and Lindsay Gregory, those two never gave up and provided big at bats when we needed them. We knew it was going to be a fight today against a very good Northwestern State team but we stayed consistent and focused to get the win."
"I'm grateful for the five seniors on this team and what they've been able to do for our program," coach Dickson added. "Becker, Brown, Corona, Vegas and Wolfe have each played a vital role in laying the foundation of what we're building here. They bought in and we couldn't be having the success we are without their dedication and hard work."
A leadoff single to second base from sophomore second baseman Bryana Novegil, a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Becker and a wild pitch set up Corona's one-out two RBI shot that cleared the left field fence in the bottom of the opening inning. The Ladyjacks continued to lead 2-0 through the third inning before Northwestern State made it a one-run game in the top of the fourth.
Lady Demon catcher Alexis Perry led off the inning with a solo home run down the left field line on a 1-1 pitch to make it 2-1. After SFA was unable to bring anybody across home plate in the bottom of the fourth, Northwestern State knotted things up at 2-2 in the top of the fifth. Perry once again gave the Lady Demons hope when she doubled to the center field fence with two outs for an RBI after designated player E.C. Delafield was hit by a pitch.
Held to just one hit across the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, the Ladyjacks entered the extra inning of play with freshman right-handed reliever Kassidy Wilbur retiring three straight in the top of the eighth. Corona would then leadoff the bottom of the inning with her second walk of the afternoon, before freshman right fielder Alex Hedspeth connected on a one-out single up the middle. Gregory stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second and just one out and drove in the walk-off RBI single on a 2-2 pitch, clearing the third baseman's head near the left field line and bringing sophomore pinch runner Marisa Arriaga across the dish for the game-winning run.
Corona continued her fabulous week by going 1-for-2 with two RBI, two walks and a run scored, while Hedspeth finished the game 2-for-3 at the dish. Gregory was 1-for-1 with her walk-off after entering the game in the sixth. Junior right-handed started Ashley Kriesel went five complete innings and struck out three, before Wilbur (19-11) picked up her 19th victory of the season inside the circle with one strikeout and just one hit allowed across the final three innings.
Perry went 2-for-4 for the Lady Demons with two RBI and a run scored as right fielder Codi Vernace was 2-for-4 as well. Northwestern State senior right-handed starter Mikayla Brown (3-7) threw a complete game, taking the loss with three earned runs allowed and four strikeouts.
Up Next…
The Ladyjacks wrap up regular season action next weekend, Friday and Saturday, May 3-4 at Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas. The three-game Southland series finale will get underway Friday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. before the final game of the regular season Saturday at 12 p.m.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.
-SFA-
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball2.1.24 | Axe 'Em Insider Ep. 24 x Softball
Friday, February 02
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
Softball - Stephen F. Austin - 02/22/2017: Stephen F. Austin
Wednesday, February 22
SFA Completes Epic Comeback: SFA Softball
Thursday, May 12
