After a run-rule in the first matchup of the day, the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns and Baylor Bears returned to Lamson Park for the finale of the Lafayette Regional with a spot in the Super Regionals on the line.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Emily Hott sent the third pitch of the game over the left-center field wall for a solo home run that gave Baylor an early advantage.
Louisiana responded with singles from Mihyia Davis and Laney Credeur before a walk to Sam Roe loaded the bases for Victoria Valdez, who sent a sacrifice fly to deep foul territory, but it was enough for Davis to tag and score to tie the game at 1. Brooke Ellestad got the second sac fly of the inning to score Credeur and give Louisiana the 2-1 lead.
Baylor tied the game back up with a solo shot from Sydney Collazos to make it 2-2 in the second. However, in the third, Louisiana regained the lead on three straight singles from Alexa Langliers, Brooke Ellestad, and Cecilia Vasquez scored Langeliers to make it 3-2.
In the fifth inning, back-to-back singles from Taylor Strain and Hott set up a sacrifice bunt situation for Presleigh Pilon before Shaylon Govan hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Strain and tie the game. Then, an RBI single from Binford gave the Bears a 4-3 lead.
In the sixth, Cecilia Vasquez got a single before moving to second on a Kayla Falterman sacrifice bunt. Maddie Hayden then singled to left center, but a great throw-in from Strain got Vasquez at the plate. Davis beat out an infield single to put runners at the corners for Credeur, but she grounded out to RyLee Crandall to end the inning.
Baylor only allowed one walk in the bottom of the seventh to punch their ticket to Gainesville to battle Florida in the Super Regionals.
BIG NUMBER: 8
Louisiana stranded eight base runners, leading to missed scoring opportunities and ultimately falling to Baylor in the Regional Final.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: RyLee Crandall
Crandall pitched a complete game for the Bears, and although she gave up nine hits and three runs, she did an excellent job of limiting the damage late in the game and giving her offense the chance to make plays and win the game.