Lady 'Neers best Lady Magicians twice

February 21, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

PARAGOULD, Ark. – Finally getting to play on home soil, the Crowley's Ridge Lady Pioneers escaped most of the rain, picking up a pair of victories against LeMoyne-Own (Tenn) College on a drizzly Monday afternoon. The Lady Pioneer pitching punched out 18 Lady Magicians across an 8-0 game one win and a 12-1 game two victory.

Game One

LeMoyne-Owen – 0

Crowley's Ridge – 8

The Lady Pioneers (3-2) took a trip through the order to start scoring runs when Lacey Lambright-Southern opened the home half of the third inning with a single to left field. Pinch running, Angel Johnson then promptly swiped second base. April Kennedy tapped a slow roller to third base, where Johnson show no signs of slowing down, coming around to score while Kennedy beat the throw at first. After Kennedy stole second, Rachel Russell tagged her first of three hits up the middle of the diamond to score classmate Kennedy. 

Russell drove in two more runs in the next inning singling home Dru Bryant and Lambright-Southern. Kourtni Jagneaux followed with a double to deep right field, scoring Russell.

Lambright-Southern would plate an RBI of her own in the bottom of the fourth inning, singling home Shelby Elrod. With the bases loaded and no outs, Bryant reached on a fielder's choice and brought home Jocelyn Villareal.

The game ended on a sour note for LeMoyne-Owen (0-1) who threw a bases-loaded wild pitch to end the game with the Lady Pioneers scoring their eighth run in the bottom of the sixth.

Russell led the Lady Pioneer offense by going 3-3 from the plate, driving in three runs. Jagneaux followed with a pair of hits of her own.

Halea Wells (2-0) was nearly flawless in the circle, striking out 10 Lady Magicians while allowing just two hits.

Game Two

LeMoyne-Owen – 1

Crowley's Ridge – 12

A pair of four-run innings in the second and fourth helped lead the Lady 'Neers (4-2) to a victory in game two, finalized after four complete innings due to weather.

April Kennedy led off the first inning with a walk with Dru Bryant following with a three-bagger to left field. Rachel Russell laid down a sacrifice bunt to plate Bryant to give the Lady Pioneers an early 2-0 lead.

Shelby Elrod (2-1) made quick work of the Lady Magicians (0-2) in the top of the second inning by sitting down two batters on strikes. 

Maddie Reed took advantage of an error in the bottom of the second by promptly stealing both second and third. Bailey Jones would follow by blasting a double into left field to score Reed. Jones eventually made her way around the bases to score thanks to Russell's RBI single. After learning that she had earned the CAC Hitter of the Week award, Layne Tedder would put up a strong defense of the title, singling home April Kennedy and Lacey Lambright-Southern.

Jones would score her second run of the game in the next inning, touching home thanks to Lambright-Southern's RBI single. Russell continued to be CRC's top run producer of the day, singling home fellow senior Lambright-Southern.

Reed would hit the third Lady Pioneer double of the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning, driving home Tedder in the process. Jones would then single home Reed and Maddy Cagle before Kennedy finished up the scoring for the day by singling home Jones.

Jones ended game two going a perfect 3-3 from the dish while driving in a team-high three runs. Russell and Tedder both collected a pair of hits in game two with Russell driving in three runs and Tedder producing two RBIs.

Up Next

Crowley's Ridge will load up for a weekend four-game series with Oklahoma Wesleyan University. A set of doubleheaders from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, are on the board for Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26.