HAMMOND, La. – In a game which mirrored their heartbreaking defeat yesterday, Lamar University softball saw their 2024 season come to a close with a 5-4 loss to Nicholls in the Southland Conference Tournament.
The Colonels struck quickly with an RBI single in the bottom of the first. The two teams then found themselves locked in an early pitcher's duel before
Veronica Harrison tied things up with an RBI single in the top of the fourth for LU. Nicholls responded, however, with three more runs in the bottom of the frame which knocked the Cardinals' starter,
Emma Wardlaw, out of the contest.
Big Red would climb back into the game in the top of the fifth as
Mikaila Kenney launched her first home run of the season at an opportune time to pull LU within one run. Lamar would get two runners on in the top of the sixth but failed to bring either one around.
After a double play to get out of the bottom of the sixth, the first two batters flew out for the Cardinals in the top of the seventh.
Shenita Tucker then came to the rescue using her speed for an inside-the-park home run to tie the game at four runs apiece.
A runner reached for the Cardinals in the top of the eighth but was unable to come around to score. Nicholls then capitalized with a walk-off single in the bottom of the frame to live to fight another day in the tournament.
Tucker led LU with three hits including her game-tying home run in the seventh. Kenney's two-run shot will certainly be a moment she remembers from her final game as a Cardinal while Harrison moved into a tie for third among Lamar freshman with her team-leading 28
th RBI of the season. Wardlaw lasted 3.2 innings on the mound allowing four runs on four hits with a strikeout. Mitchell picked up the loss after 3.2 innings of relief allowing a run on seven hits and two walks with a strikeout.
The Cardinals finish the season 26-25, their highest win total under head coach
Amy Hooks as they improved that number for the third consecutive season. This marks the best record in terms of winning percentage for team since 2017.