It was a tale of two games on Tuesday afternoon, as William Carey cruised to a shutout victory in the opener before fending off a late LSUA surge to secure a thrilling 10–9 win and a doubleheader sweep.
The decisive moments of the opener came early as William Carey jumped out to a quick lead and never looked back. After a scoreless top of the first inning, the Lady Crusaders struck in the bottom half. Albanie Fussell ignited the offense with a two-out single and later came home when Julia Shaw lined a double into right-center field. Caroline Lindsey followed moments later with a single down the left-field line to score Shaw, giving Carey a 2–0 advantage before LSU Alexandria escaped the inning.
William Carey added an insurance run in the third inning. Fussell once again reached safely and set the table for Lindsey, who delivered an RBI double to left field to extend the lead to 3–0. From there, Carey starting pitcher Jayden Sawyer took control, limiting LSU Alexandria to just one hit and three total base runners over the final four innings to seal the shutout.
The nightcap was a much different story, as William Carey outlasted LSU Alexandria 10–9 in a back-and-forth offensive showdown. The two teams combined for 19 runs and 18 hits in a contest that featured multiple lead changes.
LSU Alexandria struck first in the top of the second inning, stringing together three hits and aggressive small ball. Singles from Livie Thibodeaux and Haley Fontenot set the stage, and Sophia Romero laid down a bunt single to drive in the game's first run. One batter later, Lainee Bailey followed with an RBI bunt of her own to give the Generals a 2–0 lead.
Carey answered immediately in the bottom of the inning. After Lindsey doubled to left-center, Kinley Hogue launched a two-run homer to left field to tie the game at 2–2 and ignite the Lady Crusader offense.
The Lady Crusaders took their first lead in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on a walk and three singles to score three runs. RBI hits from Shaw and Sawyer pushed Carey ahead 5–2. LSU Alexandria chipped away in the fourth when Romero doubled off the wall and later scored on Rylie Jeau Theriot's RBI single, cutting the deficit to 5–3.
William Carey responded once again in the bottom half of the inning, scoring on a wild pitch before adding two more runs in the fifth. Hogue tripled to highlight the frame, later scoring on another wild pitch, and Brooklynn Montana drove in a run with a groundout to extend Carey's lead to 8–3.
LSU Alexandria mounted a dramatic rally in the sixth inning, scoring six runs on three hits and capitalizing on two Carey errors. RBI doubles from Molly Sistrunk and Kilee Moody, a sacrifice fly, and three unearned runs briefly swung momentum as the Generals surged ahead 9–8.
The Lady Crusaders answered right back in the bottom of the sixth. After a walk and a hit by pitch put two runners aboard, Lindsey delivered the tying RBI single to left field. Sawyer followed with an RBI base hit of her own, scoring pinch runner Mackenzie Smith. LSU Alexandria threw Lindsey out at the plate to limit the damage, but Carey reclaimed the lead at 10–9.
LSU Alexandria managed to bring the potential tying run aboard in the seventh via a hit by pitch, but Sawyer—now in relief—retired the next two batters to secure the one-run victory.
William Carey returns to action Saturday, March 28, as it hosts Faulkner University at Joseph & Nancy Fail Field. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
