University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Another Solid Pitching Performance Leads Northwestern State to Second Straight Victory
2/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAFAYETTE – For the second time on Saturday Northwestern State got a strong pitching performance which led to a victory.
In the Demons' first game Saturday, it was Michelle Castellano tossing a three-hitter of McNeese State. In the Demons' second game on Saturday, it was Loni Rasberry hurling a solid three-hitter of Sam Houston State in helping NSU complete a Saturday sweep of its Southland Conference rivals.
Northwestern State (3-1) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a three-run home run by Kelly Corliss and Rasberry held SHSU hitless in the final three innings – the second straight game NSU held an opponent without a hit in the game's final stages.
Of the three hits allowed by Rasberry (2-0), two came in the bottom of the third inning when the BearKats scratched for two runs to close the gap to 3-2.
The Demons were quick to answer and got an insurance run in their next at bat. Amanda Perdue led off the top of the fourth inning by dropping a single into shallow left field. Dawn Normand slapped a chopper that was fielded by SHSU starter Melissa Hayslip forcing Perdue out at second base.
Normand advanced to second on a passed ball then scored two batters later when Nicole Martin ripped a double near the warning track in right field to give NSU a 4-2 lead.
SHSU (2-2) never threatened in its final four at bats. Megan Beard got a one-out single in the bottom of the fourth, but was stranded as Rasberry induced back-to-back groundouts.
Both teams went down quiet in the game's final three innings. NSU got three more hits – one in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings – but SHSU reliever Shalayne Blythe worked around those hits to keep the Demons at bay. However, the BearKats offense, which exploded for six runs on McNeese State earlier in the day, could not generate any sort of an attack and went down harmlessly.
Rasberry picked up her second win of the tournament (defeated McNeese State 4-2 on Friday) and NSU grabbed its second straight win bouncing back from a 12-0 mercy-rule loss to No. 9 Louisiana-Lafayette on Friday.
The Demons pitching continued to be its strong point. Other than the 12 runs allowed to Louisiana-Lafayette, NSU has surrendered just five in the other three games combined.
Hayslip was charged with the loss for the BearKats, who were eliminated from a shot at a tournament championship match with Louisiana-Lafayette on Sunday. Hayslip surrendered eight hits in 3 2/3 innings of work, allowing four runs.
Tanya Hooser had the big hit for the BearKats when she delivered a two-run double to left center field in the third inning.
Sam Houston State's loss allowed No. 9 Louisiana-Lafayette to wrap up the tournament championship regardless of what happens on Sunday.
Northwestern State will look for make it 4-of-5 during the Mardi Gras Classic when the Demons take on Prairie View A&M at 12:30 p.m., on Sunday.
SHSU will end its run in the tournament on Sunday against the host-Ragin' Cajuns at 2:30 p.m.
Northwestern State 4,
Sam Houston State 2 (Feb 05, 2005 at Lafayette, La.)
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Northwestern State.. 300 100 0 - 4 11 0
(3-1)
Sam Houston State... 002 000 0 - 2 3 0
(2-2)
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Pitchers: Northwestern State - Rasberry. Sam Houston State -
Hayslip; Blythe(4).
Win-Rasberry(2-0) Loss-Hayslip(0-1) T-2:08
A-0
HR NSU - Corliss.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
