By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — Lady Bearcat softball fans were treated to plenty of hits and runs in Ruston’s (1-0) win Monday night over Haughton (0-1) by a final score of 16-11 in the 2025 season opener.
In particular, Ruston would get nine runs total in the bottom of the sixth inning, which gave the Lady Bearcats enough of a lead to hold the Lady Bucs off despite a three-run rally in the top of the seventh.
After freshman Aubrey Stoehr led off with a double in the bottom of the first, senior pitcher Rilee Atwood got a double herself to score Stoehr after a line drive to left field. Senior Morgan Foster hit into a fielder’s choice two batters later, which scored Atwood and gave Ruston a 2-0 lead.
“Aubrey, Morgan and Rilee all had great nights at the plate and I thought they did so consistently throughout the game,” Ruston High head coach Lauren Garvie said. “I thought we hit well tonight as a group; we hit a couple of lulls in the game but moments like Gracelyn Underwood hitting a rope down the line to get us going again or Sage Tolar with a consistent gap would pop up. A lot of these girls have put in the work, and not just at practice but the extra work and I’m so proud of the way it’s showing up for them.”
Haughton would take a 3-2 lead after the top of the second, but the Lady Bearcats would answer with two runs of their own, thanks in large part to sophomore outfielder Gracelyn Underwood getting a triple into right field and scoring senior infielder Abby Holton. Stoehr would get an RBI single in the next at-bat to score Underwood to give Ruston a 4-3 lead.
The Lady Bucs would answer with a two-run inning in the top of third inning to retake a lead at 5-4. Ruston would tie the game 5-5 in the bottom of third inning after Foster stole home with one out.
After another two-run inning for Haughton in the top of the fourth, the Lady Bearcats would get a base runner on third after Holton hit Ruston’s second triple of the night. Underwood would score Holton in the next at-bat with a fielder’s choice to third base. Stoehr then recorded her second double of the night on a left field line drive, and score on the next at-bat after Atwood’s second double to tie the game at 7-7.
Neither team would get a run in the fifth inning, and Haughton would get an 8-7 lead in the top of the sixth before Ruston’s explosive inning. Stoehr again reached on a double — this time on a fly ball to center field. Atwood would then hit her first home run of the season to center field, scoring them both. Junior Sage Tolar then hit a triple, which was followed by Foster’s first homer of the year to center, as well, giving Ruston an 11-8 lead.
Stoehr then returned to the plate a few batters later and singled into left field to score senior infielder Jaiden Feeheley. With the bases loaded, Atwood and Tolar would both be hit by pitches on subsequent at-bats to score two more runs. Finally, Foster singled to shortstop to score two more runners, giving Ruston a 16-8 lead.
Haughton would try to rally in the top of the seventh but came up short.
Stoehr led the team in hits with five on the night, including two doubles, while Atwood finished with five RBI. Foster finished right behind with four RBI.
Atwood got the start in the circle and struck out four batters on the night on 6.2 innings pitched. Tolar came in for the final out of the night.
Ruston returns to action tonight to take on Simsboro at 5 p.m. for a home matchup at Ruston’s softball field at the Sports Complex.
