Saint Mary’s Lady Tigers get stung in the first, swarmed in the fifth and are sent packing in the sixth.
Saint Mary’s started the game unable to get the offense going and only had Kelsie Ward reach on a single before Olivia Miller grounds out to end the Tiger first. Meredith Matt had the pitching honors and walked the second batter she faced. Blaire Bizette hits a line drive to left and two runners are on with only one out. The next batter strikes out swinging then Adelyn Fisher doubles to left field and two runs cross for the Hornets. Catholic of Pointe Coupee strands one runner on base but stings the Tigers with two runs across.
Saint Mary’s is retired in order in the second inning. Catholic of Pointe Coupee follows the Tiger lead and they are retired in order as well. The Tigers continue to be unable to find a hole in the Hornet defense and again go down in order in the third inning. Kaylin LeBlanc doubles to start the bottom of the third. LeBlanc advances to third on a wild pitch and then would score as the next batter hit a sacrifice fly to center field. Adelyn Fisher flies out for the second out before Meredith Matt issues back to back walks to put two Hornets on base. They would advance to scoring position on a wild pitch and then #11 lines out to Bienvenu to end the inning. Saint Mary’s trails 3 – 0 through three innings.
The top of the fourth inning has the Tigers fighting to get runs. They are able to get one across but they get two runners on that are stranded on a questionable called strike three. The Tigers trail 3- 1 as the Hornets come to the plate and the leadoff hitter reaches on a single. A sacrifice bunt is laid down and fielded by Bienvenu who gets the out at first and the runner advances. She is replaced on base by pinch runner #14 Guerin. The next batter is issued a walk from Meredith Matt so two are on base with one out. McKenzie Methvin cleanly fields a fly ball to record out number two and the runner at second advances to put players at the corners. Next batter pops up in the infield to Hale for out number three.
Methvin is the leadoff hitter to start the fifth. She enters the batter’s box with a 310 batting average and 17 RBI’s on the season. McKenzie cannot reach base as she grounds out to the infield. Reagan Davis looks to add to her on base percentage of 439 as she steps in the box. Davis is sent back to the dugout on a fly ball. Chloe Longlois is retired on a grounder and the Tigers go down in order 1, 2, 3. The Hornets start their fifth inning with a single by #18 Blaire Bizette who was swinging at the first pitch offered. Lauren Vienne is unable to corral a high Matt pitch and the runner steals second base. The next Hornet gets on base on a fly ball that falls just inside fair territory for a double. Two runners are on base and no outs are showing as Matt offers up a change up to the batter to record strike two. Madelyn Fisher is not going down easy and singles to score two runs making it 5 – 1. Meredith Matt is replaced by McKenzie Methvin on the mound after going 4 innings and giving up five runs. The next batter singles to add a base runner and still no outs. The next batter hits a RBI single that makes the score 6 – 1 and runners are at first and second. The Hornets finally hit a grounder that is handled for out number one. An attempted throw down to second finds its way to the outfield to score another run on the error. The score is 7 – 1 and the Hornets are stinging the Tigers hard. Olivia Miller handles a deep fly in center field and quickly gets it into the infield to strand the runner at third. The next batter restores the hitting of the Hornets and reaches on a single that serves as an RBI 8 – 1. The base runner advances to second on a stolen base. The next batter hits one over Ragan Hale at short stop to score another run but the hitter is caught on the base paths and tagged out to finally allow the inning to expire. The Tigers deficit is eight runs 9 – 1 and are in jeopardy of losing the game by the ten-run rule.
In the sixth inning Saint Mary’s begins things with the top of their order at bat. Ragan Hale grounds out to short and Maria Bienvenu flies out to center. Kelsie Ward punches a line drive double to center field but cannot cross home plate from scoring position as Olivia Miller grounds out to the short stop. Reagan Davis toes the rubber for Saint Mary’s in the sixth inning. #18 Blaire Bizette starts another inning with a double and #20 Kyeligh Andre singles to center field and Bizette scores. Hornets 10 – Tigers 1. The winning run is on base and advances to second on a pitch in the dirt that gets past Lauren Vienne. The play is repeated with another ball in the dirt and Andre is at third. #12 Adelyn Fisher walks and then her sister Kaitley Fisher also walks. Bases are loaded with no outs and the Hornets only need one run to cross the plate to end the game. #13 Maecie Vince takes three balls before Reagan Davis can find the strike zone. The next pitch offered is a ball and Catholic of Pointe Coupee wins on a walk for run. Bizette and Fisher were spectacular at the plate for Ponte Coupee. Saint Mary’s will head home from Sulphur but should be proud of the season they had. The team is young and should do well under first-year head coach Stephen Wren but the sting from the Hornets will hurt.
