This article has been updated with quotes from Simsboro School Softball Coach Payton Bond.
RUSTON, La. — After surrendering four runs in the top of the first inning, the Ruston High Lady Bearcats (1-1) would fall to the Simsboro Lady Tigers (4-0) by a final score of 6-5 despite making a late rally toward the end of the night.
The win for Simsboro keeps the Lady Tigers undefeated to start the year.
“I am extremely proud of our team for how they played,” Simsboro School Softball Coach Payton Bond said. “We’ve worked hard to get to where we are at. I do want to give credit to Coach (Lauren) Garvie and their squad. We jumped out early, but they clawed back and put themselves in situations to stay in the game. We have a young team, so to see them be able to hold their composure and hang on to win on the road in a close game late in the ball game makes me very proud as a coach.”
Ruston High head coach Lauren Garvie attributed part of the loss to the after effects of the previous night’s win over Haughton to open the season.
“I think we came off the high of last night, and we expected to do the same — we struggled to start in the circle a bit and that threw us off,” Garvie said. “Rilee has been such a work horse for us in the circle and I’m proud of her for that. Sure there were a couple of calls that as a coach you get very frustrated with but it’s also on us. We waited too long to let our bats get going. All in all I think we take tonight in stride and grow from it, which I know the girls will.”
The Tigers got on top early after senior Jacoya Lewis hit a fly ball into center field for a single, scoring freshman Callie Harrison to take a 1-0 lead. Eighth-grader Kailee Hamilton then singled on a line drive to right field, scoring both senior Carlei Wheeler and eighth-grader Ciara Caldwell for a 3-0 lead. Eighth-grader Harley Coon added another run off of a fielders’ choice and scored Lewis to take a 4-0 lead after the first.
After a Lady Bearcat pitching change, sophomore Kennady King singled to shortstop to score Wheeler and take a 5-0 lead.
Ruston was finally able to get on the board in the bottom of the second after senior Morgan Foster stole home for the second time in two straight games.
The Lady Tigers would get another run in the top of the fourth to lead 6-1 after King lined out to center field and Wheeler scored after tagging up.
Freshman Aubrey Stoehr opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a single into left field and was able to get to third base after an error by the left fielder. Three batters later and with two runners on base, Foster hit an inside-the-park home run into left field, scoring both Stoehr and freshman Skylar Bowers and cutting the lead to 6-4.
Foster scored again in the bottom of the seventh inning after an error by the shortstop after stealing second base for a 6-5 score. Simsboro would keep Ruston from scoring again afterward to get the win.
Stoehr led the team in hits with two, while Foster finished with three RBI. Atwood, Bowers and junior Sage Tolar combined for 11 strikeouts in the circle.
Wheeler pitched all seven innings for Simsboro and struck out 14 batters and also led the Lady Tigers with two hits. King and Hamilton would both get two RBI’s apiece.
The Lady Bearcats return to action Thursday, Feb. 27, to take on another in-parish opponent in Choudrant. Simsboro will take on Union Parish at home Thursday, as well.
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