Box Score

NATCHITOCHES – Kylie Roos allowed just one hit and struck out eight as the Northwestern State softball team defeated Stephen F. Austin 3-0 Friday night in the first of a two game series at the Lady Demon Diamond Complex.

 

The Lady Demons (14-23, 3-8 SLC) came through with timely hits to solidify the win and second complete-game shutout of the year for Roos (5-10). NSU jumped on SFA (9-23, 2-7 SLC) starter Angela White (4-12) early, as she recorded the loss after lasting 2.1 innings.  

 

“Tonight we saw the Kylie that we know. She worked ahead in the counts and controlled the entire game from the start,” said head coach Donald Pickett.

 

Samantha Roberts kept her hot streak going at the plate with a three-for-three night, including a pair of doubles and a RBI to extend NSU's lead to 3-0 in the fourth inning. She extended her hitting streak to six games with her second three-hit performance of the year.

 

“Sam is seeing the ball really well right now. She's the type of player that can dominate the game offensively when she's hot,” Pickett said. “She's high on confidence, doing all the right things at the plate and setting the tone for the rest of the lineup.”

 

NSU scored two runs in the third inning. Roos came to bat after Tara McKenney walked and advanced to second on a bunt, and plated her with a single up the middle. Cali Burke showed her patience at the plate and drew a one-out walk with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 2-0.

 

In the fourth inning, Roberts doubled to straight-away centerfield to score Blair Beard who had reached on an infield single. The Natchitoches native also doubled in the first inning and reached on an infield single in the third.

 

Beard registered her ninth multi-hit game of the year and finished two-for-three. McKenney extended her hitting streak to six games by poking a single to leftfield in the fourth.

 

The Lady Demons outhit the Ladyjacks 8-1, and garnered stellar defense in the outfield from Beard and Shenequia Abby.

 

“It was nice to see us play well at all three phases of the game today and it was a good all-around win,” Pickett said. “There's nothing stopping us from putting it altogether like this every time we take the field and having a strong finish to the season.”

SFA's hit came on a double from Linda Linares with two outs in the fifth inning.

 

NSU and SFA will square off again on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the final game of the series.