Lady Bengals win second round game, 12-2

LSUE 12, Scottsdale 2
CLINTON, Miss. – Lady Bengal sophomore Emily Nolan hit a three-run home run and a grand slam to help top-seed LSUE roll to a 12-2 second round win over the Scottsdale Fighting Artichokes on Thursday.
After two scoreless innings, the Lady Bengals exploded for four runs in the top of the third inning.
Carey Alexis singled and Ginny Daggett reached on an error to open the frame and both scored on a double to center by Taylor Boulet.
Brooklyn Clark and Nolan kept the inning alive with back-to-back singles up the middle. Boulet touched home plate on a double to center by Destin Vicknair to give the Lady Bengals a 4-0 advantage.
Scottsdale answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame, but that was as close as the Fighting Artichokes could get.
Sharee Blomquist and Rayven Cannon singled and both scored on a misplayed hit by Kenzey Kaler.
LSUE added three more runs in the top of the fifth to push ahead, 7-2.
Boulet reached on an error, Clark walked and Nolan cleared the bases with a towering home to left center field.
The Lady Bengals put the game away in the top of the sixth with four more insurance runs for a 12-2 margin.
Alexis opened the inning with a walk, Daggett advanced on a perfectly-placed bunt and Codi Covington walked.
Clark (2-for-3, 3 runs scored) singled in Alexis and Nolan (3-for-4, 7 RBI) blasted a grand slam to set Lady Bengal record with 20 home runs and 97 RBI on the season.
Destin Vicknair (2-for-3, BB) also picked up the win in the circle as she allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Against Scottsdale, the Lady Bengals (60-2) collected 11 hits and saw multiple program records broken in the win, as Nolan's two home runs in the game to give her 20 this season, passing Rhea Person (19 homers, 2009) for the most in a single season, while Clark's two hits today gave her 93 total hits this season, moving her past Chasity Fontenot (91 hits, 2009) for the most hits in a single season.
"They are special individual records, but as a team we stepped up offensively and made adjustments and had big hits," head coach Andy Lee said.
LSUE will face Des Moines Area Community College at noon on Friday and with a win would advance to the 4 p.m. semifinals.