It was home sweet home for the Lady Bears Tuesday as they shined in multiple areas on the field, sweeping the visiting John Melvin Millers. Southwest took the first game 1-0 and followed that up with an 18-1 win in five innings in Game 2.
"I thought that the girls played well today, (but) we needed to do a little better of a job in the first game of putting the ball in play," Southwest head coach Shea Johnson said. "I thought that the girls played good defense and Allie (Ladnier) threw a great game."
In just her third collegiate start, Ladnier was dominant in Game 1. She went the distance for the Lady Bears (2-4) giving up only one hit, no runs and no walks while striking out 11.
"Honestly I did not know that I had 11 strikeouts," said a surprised Ladnier. "It makes me feel great, especially coming off of this weekend."
While Ladnier was dealing from the circle, the offense had difficulty following suit. Southwest threatened in the third with both Ladnier and Kate Clements on base via singles, but neither could touch home.
The same can be said in the fifth where Liberty Gillihan and Clements got on after being walked but did not score. Southwest put at least one runner on base in each of the first five innings.
The Lady Bears broke through in the seventh. Erin Acey led off with a single before ensuing batter Maggie Wilks bunted and reached on a throwing error. The error also allowed Acey to race around the bases and touch home safely giving Southwest the walk-off win.
"We had to get the run in, with the runner on," said Wilks. "I knew I had to do my job and lay the bunt down and thankfully it all worked out and Erin scored."
In Game 2, the Lady Bears got into rhythm early. After starting pitcher Corin Talbot retired three of the first four batters that she faced, the offense provided insurance runs for her.
With two runners on and no outs, Ladnier singled to center scoring Wilks. Two at bats later, Talbot helped her own cause with a sacrifice fly to center allowing Gillihan to score making it a 2-0 game. Southwest added one more run during the ensuing at bat when Abbey Pevey singled to center bringing Ladnier home.
The Lady Bear offense kept up their stellar play in the second as Lauryn Roebuck scored on a fielder's choice. Next up was Ladnier who singled to center scoring Wilks, helping Southwest increase its lead to 5-0.
Another strong inning from Talbot and the Lady Bear defense in the third kept the Millers off the scoreboard.
Southwest added to its lead in the third when Malley Chase Faulkner scored on a John Melvin error followed by RBI singles from Acey and Clements. When the dust settled, the Lady Bears enjoyed a 9-0 advantage.
The hits kept coming for the Lady Bears in the fourth. Bases-loaded walks to Tye Boone and Talbot were accompanied by an RBI fielder's choice from Gillihan, RBI singles from Ladnier and Taylor Dunbar and a grand slam from Pevey.
"I was struggling this past weekend with my mentality and today I just hoped to go in there relaxed and get a good hit for my team," Pevey said. "When I stepped into the box, I thought, this is just like BP (batting practice) and it worked out."
The Millers pushed a run across in the fifth before Talbot and the Lady Bears shut the door on the rally, sealing the win.
Pevey, went 3-for-3 with a home run, five RBIs and two runs scored to lead Southwest. Wilks and Ladnier also had big games with three hits apiece. Ladnier had two runs scored and three RBIs while Wilks recorded three runs scored and two RBIs.
Talbot pitched all five innings for Southwest giving up only two hits, one run (unearned) and four walks while striking out five.
Southwest will be back in action on Thursday with a doubleheader at Baton Rouge at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
