NATCHITOCHES – Getting hits is one thing, but getting hits at the right time is completely different.
Northwestern State tallied 17 hits in Friday's doubleheader against Texas A&M-Commerce, but had just one in run-scoring chances in a 2-1 loss in game one opposed to four in those situations in a 6-0 shutout in game two.
"The difference between the first and the second game came down to the timely hits," Prejean said. "We had seven hits in the first game but they were too spread out and just didn't execute after that. Totally different story in the second game. Got off to a good start with two hits from our first two batters and really got into our offense."
The win in the second game of the doubleheader was the first home conference win for first-year head coach
Lacy Prejean.
Game 1: A&M-Commerce 2, NSU 1
The Lions got a timely hit in the top of the first inning that gave them an early lead as a 2-out fly ball, on a 3-2 count, just snuck over the wall in left field for a solo home run making it a 1-0 game after the first three batters of the day.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Demons took advantage of a pair of free passes to even the score.
Laney Roos and
Kennedy Reynolds started the frame with a hit by pitch and a walk, plus a sacrifice bunt, giving NSU its first major run-scoring chance of the game.
On career day at the plate, freshman
Sophia Livers picked up the first of her three hits in the game and five on the day with a perfectly placed bunt single to score the run from third and tie the game at one.
The hit was one of five with two outs in the game for the Demons, but the only one that brought in a run.
NSU missed those needed hits through the first four innings of the game stranding four of their six total runners on base in scoring position. The Demons had a least one batter reach in all but one inning in the game and left two runners stranded three different times, including the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
As the Demons took advantage of free passes to score their first run, the Lions did the same to regain the lead in the fifth inning. Two walks to the first two batters put the go-ahead run on base for an RBI-groundout to put Commerce back up a run late in the game.
Livers' final hit of the first game provided a spark for the Demons in the bottom of the seventh. Her sharp double down the left field line, and ensuing throwing error, put her at third base to open the inning.
But for the second straight time in a conference series opener, the Demons could not get the tying run in from third with no outs in the seventh inning. Livers was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a delayed squeeze bunt, and although
Taylor Williams' base hit put the tying run at second, back-to-back ground outs stranded the tying and winning runs on second and third.
Game 2: NSU 6, Commerce 0
Needing a bounce-back performance after a disappointing result to open the day,
Maggie Darr turned in one of her best outing of the season for the Demons.
The senior worked an uber efficient 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball, inducing soft contact throughout the night and utilizing her defense to throw just 85 pitches during that time and allowing just four hits.
"If the other team doesn't score runs, it's hard for them to win," Prejean joked. "Maggie did a great job working ahead in the count. She was only at about 80 pitches going into the seventh inning which is phenomenal. She pitched to contact with a lot of spin on the ball and they weren't able to barrel it up."
Darr was staked to an early lead with a four-run first by the Demon offense allowing her to cruise through the rest of the game and attack the strike zone.
Hits from
Taylor Williams and
Bailie Ragsdale got the Demons off to a quick start. After a double steal put them both in scoring position,
Laney Roos picked up an RBI on a grounder to short. An error on the play allowed her to reach base safely and gave NSU an extra out that it took advantage of for three more runs.
Another error allowed the second run to score with an RBI groundout and bunt single from
Ashlyn Walker scoring two unearned runs in the inning. NSU scored four runs in the frame, with just Williams' leadoff single up the middle the only ball to leave the infield.
The Demons added to their lead in the fourth after the first two batter of that inning reached with base hits.
Camryn Ford started with a single up the middle and
Sophia Livers followed with her fourth hit of the day, another bunt single she beat out for a hit.
She came in to score on a
Tristin Court single up the middle with two outs and also accounted for NSU's sixth and final run in the sixth inning after a triple to left center, her fifth hit of the day, put her in position to come home on a Williams sacrifice fly to left.
"Bunting the ball really helps you see the ball well," Livers laughed. "All around today the ball just seemed fat and when that happens you know it's going to be a good day at the plate. So I just took it and rolled with it."
Livers also shined defensively for the Demons at second base getting a 4-3 double play in the game that prevented a run from scoring to end an inning.
"She's one of the hardest workers on our team," Prejean said of Livers. "We had a doubleheader today and she was in the weight room this morning. Out taking some extra swings before the game. She wants to be great and I'm so proud of her and so happy when days like this happen for people that put in the work to earn it."
She hit one of two triples in the game for NSU as fellow freshman
Aly Delafield ripped her second triple of the season in the game and finished 2-for-3 with a double in the game as well.
Eight different players had hits in the game, six different players drove in a run and five different players scored in the game.
"Getting the win feels really good," Livers said. "We definitely needed that. With the way the season has gone it was nice to come back and get the bounce-back win."
The Demons go for their first series win of the season beginning at the adjusted time of 10 a.m. on Saturday morning.
