HAMMOND, La. – Lamar University sophomore
Sicily Windham's go-ahead eighth-inning home run led to the Cardinals pulling off a stunning 2-1 upset over top-seeded Southeastern Louisiana Saturday in the second round in the Hammond, La. region of the Southland Conference Tournament.
Windham's blast was one of three hits by the Cardinals, as
Riley Whitley (RBI) and
Isabella Flores each added a hit.
Reagan Smith pitched her second complete game of the tournament, allowing five hits and striking out three batters.
After both starting pitchers retired the side in order in the first, the Lions took the early lead with an inside-the-park home run in the second. The turning point of the game came when in the fourth, catcher
Makenzie Wright threw out a Lions' runner trying to steal second to end the SLU threat.
Offensively, the Cardinals were no-hit through four innings, but after
Cimara-lei Wessling led off the fifth by reaching on an error and was lifted for pinch runner
Kinlee McGuire, Whitley broke the no-hitter and shutout with an RBI single to tie the game at one apiece. The score remained that way through the end of the seventh and the game went to extras.
Leading off LU's half of the eighth, Windham sent the first pitch over the left field fence to give LU its first lead of the game. The Lions would not go away and loaded the bases with nobody out. The Cardinals' defense stepped up to make the last three outs and earn the victory.
Big Red will take on the winner of top-seeded Southeastern and No. 4 UIW Sunday, needing one more win to advance to the SLC Championship Series. The first pitch will be delivered at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
#PeckEmCards
