The Lion’s Roar / Jonathan Rhodes
The Lady Lions have been on an eight game losing streak despite record-breaking performances by players and leading the conference in stolen bases.
The Lady Lions softball team was swept in their series of matches versus Abilene Christian University (7-11, 1-0 Southland) last weekend 3-0 at North Oak Park. This was the Lady Lions first Southland Conference matchup of the season and their eighth straight loss, making their record (12-12, 0-3 Southland).
The first game was originally scheduled for Friday, but was moved to Saturday due to stormy weather which led to flooding in different areas of Louisiana. No promotions were held and no tickets were required to enter the park.
“Anytime you got weather conditions in an outside sport it’s always going to disrupt your schedule,” said Head Softball Coach Rick Fremin. “As long as they deem the field playable and the umpires are here and the game balls are here and the opponents show up we got to be ready to play.”
In the first inning, senior outfielder/midfielder Katie Lacour got a leadoff walk and moved to second base after a sacrifice bunt by sophomore middle infielder Grace DeLee. Sophomore outfielder Kinsey Nichols hit a single to right centerfield to help Lacour score a run. In the same inning, Wildcats sophomore shortstop Peyton Hedrick threw a pitch to first that sailed to far wide and allowed Nichols to score a run making the score 2-0.
The Wildcats scored their first run in the top of the second making the score 2-1.
Lacour took the two run advantage back in the bottom of the third after stealing second and third base she scored the run off an RBI single by Nichols.
The Wildcats tied the game in the top of the fourth inning after a fly ball was dropped by sophomore outfielder Peyton Sutton making the score 3-3.
The Wildcats then took the lead for good in the top of the fifth after scoring three runs and hitting a home run over the left field fence giving them the lead 3-7.
The Lady Lions had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh. Lacour, DeLee and freshman outfielder Jaquelyn Ramon loaded the bases with no outs. Nichols was out after a hit and Ramon was tagged at home. Senior first baseman Amber Sather was forced to ground out ending the game.
“Tonight was disappointing,” said Fremin. “We had three errors defensively, which led to a lot of their run production. The long ball hurt us tonight and we have got to tighten up our system. Hopefully we can respond to our opponents. Our goal is to take the series.”
Lacour stole two bases in this game, making her total 21 for the season and breaking the school single-season record previously held by Debbie Spriggins in 1986.
“I don’t even know what words to say,” said Lacour. “I’m very thankful for Coach Fremin and his strategy because without him telling me to go I wouldn’t have all these bases. I credit all my success to him.”
On Sunday, Mar. 13, the team took on ACU in a double-header to close out the three-game series. In the first game of the doubleheader, the Lady Lions started off on top in the second inning.
Lacour walked, allowing freshman outfielder and utility player Jaquelyn Ramon to advance to second, senior outfielder Amanda Livaudais to advance to third and Truxillo to score, putting them up (1-0). The Lady Lions advanced by two more points before the inning was over, (3-0), with Livaudais and Ramon making it to the plate. The team stayed ahead of the Wildcats until the top of the fifth inning when ACU made six continuous runs, (3-6). In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Lions made a nearly victorious comeback with two runs, but it was not enough to carry them through to the end, finishing at 5-6 after allowing six unearned runs in the fifth inning.
In the series finale, the team made two runs in the bottom of the first inning with Truxillo doubling to left field and sophomore middle Infielder and utility player Grace DeLee making it to home, (2-0), but from there, ACU only continued to advance past the Lady Lions, finishing at 2-13.
Truxillo felt that the team’s stronger start in the series finale would create a change in the losing slump, but things didn’t play out quite as the team had hoped.
“I was hoping it would get us going and give us some spark that we needed to pull one of these games out and get a win, but things just weren’t going our way,” said Truxillo. “It turns back to offense and hitting the ball. We just need to do that more.”
In addition, Ramon stole three bases on Sunday giving the Lady Lions 62 for the season, tying the school single-season record set in 1986.
Fremin was ultimately disappointed in the overall performance of the three-game series and wanted the team to meet its usual level of expectations.
“Our players are having trouble finding themselves right now as a team,” said Fremin. “I feel like our team identity has been lost from how we kind of started the season, and we’re having trouble finding that right now across the board. We very easily could have taken two of the three games; however, we have to play softball and raise our level of playing and these players have to develop as the season goes on and everyone has to do a better job.”
The Lady Lions’ next game will be a doubleheader against Southeast Missouri on Wednesday Mar. 16 at 3:00 p.m. at North Oak Park. Wednesday will be Local Heroes Night, and first responders will receive free admission if they show up in uniform or with valid ID.