Lady Bengals cuise in series opener

CLINTON, Mississippi – The top-ranked Lady Bengals opened the NJCAA Division II college softball World Series in fine fashion as LSUE cruised to a 16-0 mercy-rule win over Mott Community College Wednesday at Traceway Park.
No. 4 seed LSUE (53-7) will face the Des Moines Area Community College/Florence Darlington Technical College winner at 3:30 p.m.
No. 13 seed Mott (43-6) will take on the Des Moines Area Community College/Florence Darlington Technical College at 1:30 p.m.
The scoring barrage began early as Rebecca Skains (West Ouachita) reached on an error and Darby Bishop (Hickory, Miss) singled in the bottom of the first and both scored on a triple to left field by Bobbi Smith (West Ouachita) to give the Lady Bengals a 2-0 advantage.
LSUE starting pitcher Abigail Leonards (Iota) retired the first five batters, including two strikeouts before the Lady Bears threatened in the top of the second when Jackie Jones singled down the first base line.
Jones was left stranded as Leonards struck out Katey Cairnduff to end the inning.
Mott had another chance in the top of third inning when Melody Draeger walked, but the Lady Bengals defense stiffened to keep the shutout going.
LSUE pushed ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the third when Maddie Edmonston (St. Amant) hit her sixth home run of the season with a blast over the left field fence.
Skains followed with her 19th double of the season and scored on a hit by Bishop to increase the Lady Bengals’ lead to 4-0.
Alli Daigle (Notre Dame) singled to push Mott starter Mallory Markwardt out of the circle after facing 13 batters.
Jeanmarie Angelle (Cecilia) drew a walk off Hunter Conzelmann to load the bases before Jessica Thomas (Henderson, Texas) doubled in Bishop, Daigle and Angelle to push the Lady Bengals ahead, 7-0.
The Lady Bears had their biggest scoring threat in the top of the fourth when Conzelmann reached on a two-out error, Jones singled and Cairnduff walked to load the bases.
Lady Bengals second baseman Daigle caught a liner by Kim Roe to end the inning and keep Mott off the scoreboard.
LSUE exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the game out of reach.
Edmonston singled and scored when Bishop reached on a fielder’s choice, while Skains singled and scored when Jeanmarie Angelle reached on a fielder’s choice
Daigle walked, Molli Wilson (Castor) singled to load the bases and Jessica Thomas blasted a two-out grand slam to plate Daigle, Angelle and Wilson as LSUE extended its lead to 13-0.
Jaci Lavinge (St. Amant) singled, Edmonston walked and then Skains hit her 22nd home run of the season to push the Lady Bengals ahead, 16-0.
Leonards earned the win as she struck out five, walked two and allowed two hits over four innings.
Jordan Dougherty (Alberta, Canada) pitched the fifth frame and allowed one hit, but the defense held to seal the mercy-rule win.
Edmonston went 2-for-3 with a walk and a home run.
Skains went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and four runs scored.
Bishop went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Daigle went 1-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored.
Jessica Thomas finished 1-for-3 with a grand slam and seven RBI.