NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team suffered two losses to Northwestern State as the team continued its trip through Louisiana on Wednesday.
The Knights (0-6) loaded the bases to bring the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning of the first game but could not continue the rally to fall 5-1 in the first game. The Lady Demons (4-6) then threw a two-hit shutout in the nightcap, 6-0.
In game one, senior
Holly Mercier started the Knights off in the top of the first with a single to left and junior
Madison Emerson walked to put runners on first and second with one out. The Knights, however, could not advance Mercier any further and went down with a fielder's choice and a strikeout to end the inning.
The Lady Demons also put two runners on in the bottom half of the frame, but senior pitcher
Baylee Ports struck out the next batter, induced a popup to herself, and then struck out the following hitter as well.
Northwestern State pushed the first run of the game across in the bottom of the second on a RBI fielder's choice, but Ports held the Lady Demons to just the single tally by forcing a groundout and a popup to the infield.
The deficit later grew to 3-0 after a RBI double in the third inning by Riley Cantrell and a solo home run in the fourth inning by Maddie Black. Northwestern State plated two more runs in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly and a RBI single before the Knights induced a double play ball to end the inning.
FDU put its first two runners of the sixth inning on base, with Mercier reaching on an error and Emerson singling to center to advance her to second. The Lady Demons, however, retired the next three batters to end the threat.
Senior
Serena Meehan then led off the seventh inning with a double to center, and freshman
Cali Wyand reached on an error to set up runners on first and third with no outs. Freshman
Courtney Mahoney then slapped a single up the middle to plate Meehan for the Knights' first run and Mahoney's first career RBI.
After a fielder's choice made it runners on first and second, Mercier walked to load the bases for Emerson, but the junior grounded a ball to the infield that was thrown home for the putout. The Lady Demons then ended the game with a strikeout to hold on for the win.
Ports struck out three batters in 2.1 innings, allowing two runs and three hits. Sophomore
Abby England pitched 2.2 innings and struck out two batters, and junior
Irene Herrera tossed a scoreless sixth inning and recorded a strikeout.
In game two, freshman
Riley De Laval and Emerson both walked to start the game, but the next two batters for the Knights produced outs. Junior
Erica Johnson then pitched a one-two-three first inning to keep the game scoreless.
Freshman
Amarys Miller-Godsey singled through the right side for FDU's first hit in the top of the second inning, but her first career hit did not lead to any runs. The Lady Demons then opened the game up with a three-run homer by Alexis Perry.
A Cantrell two-run home run in the third increased the Lady Demon lead to 5-0, and the Knights did not produce another baserunner until Miller-Godsey and freshman
Jillian Ward earned in the fifth inning. Northwestern State tacked on a sixth run in the fifth with a RBI single.
Wyand singled to center in the seventh inning for the Knights' second hit, which also represented the first hit of her Knights career. She also stole second to mark her first career steal.
Johnson lasted four innings and struck out two batters in the loss. Mahoney relieved Johnson in the fifth inning, recording two strikeouts in two innings of work.
FDU concludes its Louisiana trip with a five-game series at Southern University, starting Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., CST.
