Ladyjack Defense Shines in First Tilt of 2019 Southland Conference Softball Tournament

Tuesday, May 7

Natchitoches, La.

4 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

34-20

#5 Southeastern Louisiana

34-21

Southeastern La.

Stephen F. Austin

Margarita_Corona_Southeastern_Louisiana_SouthlandTournament2019

Photo by: SFA Athletics

Ladyjack Defense Shines in First Tilt of 2019 Southland Conference Softball Tournament

5/7/2019 9:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

SFA keeps fifth-seeded Southeastern Louisiana scoreless through eight innings, freshman righty Kassidy Wilbur fans eight

By: Luke Bolanos | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

NATCHITOCHES, La. – For eight full innings, the SFA softball team kept fifth-seeded Southeastern Louisiana scoreless after terrific defensive plays and eight strikeouts from Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Kassidy Wilbur in the Ladyjacks' first game of the 2019 Southland Softball Tournament Tuesday evening at Lady Demon Diamond in Natchitoches, Louisiana. However, a two-run shot by the Lady Lions (34-21) in the top of the ninth inning resulted in a 2-0, nine-inning win for Southeastern Louisiana over fourth-seeded SFA (34-20).

The Ladyjacks had chances to walk off the game twice by getting a runner on third base in both the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings but were unable to drive anybody across home plate. SFA will now turns its attention to the opening round of the Southland Tournament's back draw with its opponent still yet to be determined. First pitch will be held at 4:30 p.m. from Lady Demon Diamond in Natchitoches after the increasing threat of inclement weather forced tournament officials to move up all start times Wednesday by two hours.

"I'm really proud of the way we battled today, despite the outcome," head coach Nicole Dickson said following the game. "Bailey Richards behind the dish and Kassidy Wilbur both had great games, Richards made some terrific plays behind the plate and Wilbur threw over 130 pitches with excellent location. In postseason play, it's all about who executes and gets it done in the big moments. We definitely had our opportunities on offense and our defense really played with determination."

"Now we just have to take it one game at a time moving forward," coach Dickson added.

After each team recorded a hit in the opening inning of action, the game saw just one combined hit for the ensuing three innings of play. Limited to four hits in the affair, the Ladyjacks got a two-out double down the right field line from senior first baseman Margarita Corona in the bottom of the first and a leadoff single to first base from senior third baseman Lauren Becker in the bottom of the second. SFA would be held hitless for five consecutive innings until the seventh.

With the score still knotted up at 0-0, Corona led off the seventh with a single to left field. Junior second baseman Lindsay Gregory then reached on a fielder's choice bunt, before Becker made a base-advancing groundout. With just one out, the Ladyjacks had runner in scoring position but a pop up to right field and a fly out to left field sent the game into extras.

Once again in the eighth, SFA got a base runner in scoring position after junior left fielder Madison Clements hit a leadoff single up the middle. Senior shortstop Emily Wolfe and freshman right fielder Alex Hedspeth successfully laid down sacrifice bunts to advance redshirt sophomore pinch runner Brittany Crawford to third with two outs. This time, a fly out to center field ended the Ladyjacks' hopes of bringing home a run.

The Lady Lions collected two hits in the top of the ninth following a Wilbur strikeout. Southeastern Louisiana third baseman Mima Doucet connected on a single before stealing second and being brought across the dish on a pinch hitter Madison Watson two-run homer over the left center field wall.

SFA was retired in order in the bottom of the ninth to make the score go final.

Corona finished the game 2-for-4 as Wilbur (19-14) struck out eight and walked just two in the full nine innings inside the circle.

Lady Lion first baseman Rebecca Skains had two of Southeastern Louisiana's seven hits, while Watson was 1-for-2 with her two RBI and run scored. Right-handed starter Karlee Kraft (5-1) claimed the complete game win on the rubber after going all nine frames with zero strikeouts and zero walks.

Up Next…
The Ladyjacks will take on either second-seeded Nicholls (32-20), third-seeded McNeese (28-28) or sixth-seeded Northwestern State (29-25) Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The winner of the Cowgirls and Lady Demons (late Tuesday) will take on the second-seeded Colonels at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Wednesday's Southland Tournament games will be streamed live online via the Southland Digital Network and through the Southland app, available on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire. Live statistics of the tournament action can be followed via Southland.org. As usual, in-game updates will be made available via SFA softball's Twitter account, @SFA_Softball.

Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Ladyjack softball throughout the 2019 season.

-SFA-