Lamar State sports information

GALVESTON – Lamar State College Port Arthur’s softball team claimed an NJCAA Region XIV win in its first try and nearly pulled off the sweep over Galveston College on Friday afternoon, beating the Whitecaps 5-4 before falling 11-7 in the nightcap.

The Seahawks, now 10-11 overall and 1-1 in NJCAA Region XIV play, will take on Alvin Community College in Alvin on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

LSCPA 5, Galveston 4

The Seahawks fell behind early, exploded for a huge fourth inning, then held on late for their first league victory of the season.

Galveston opened the game with a run in the bottom of the first inning but the Hawks answered with a run in the third when freshman Britni Hunt doubled to score Makasha Brown to knot the game at 1-1. On that same play, sophomore Olivia Rivera tried to stretch the lead by heading for home but was thrown out at the plate to keep the game even.

Galveston went back up 2-1 in the bottom of the third and it looked like it might stay that way in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs and two runners on, Rivera hit a ground ball, reaching on an error by the Galveston pitcher. Vanessa Espitia scored on the play to tie the game again at 2-2.

With the bases loaded, freshman Rebecca Delome doubled to center field, scoring Brooke Smith, Brown and Rivera for a 5-2 Seahawks lead.

Galveston came back again later in the game, scoring two runs in the fifth inning to close the gap to 5-4 with just one out. Seahawks pitcher Hunt took control, striking out the next two Whitecaps batters to end the inning.

After a three-up, three-down sixth, Galveston threatened again in the seventh, moving a runner to second base after a walk and a move to second on a ground-out. Hunt responded again, striking out the final batter to end the game.

Hunt threw the complete-game win, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits with six strikeouts. She also doubled in going 1 for 4 with a run batted in. Maddy Stone was 3 for 4 at the plate for the Hawks, while Delome finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs.

Galveston 11, LSCPA 7

The Seahawks had the go-ahead runner at the plate, bases loaded, in the top of the seventh inning but the miracle shot didn’t happen as LSCPA fell 11-7 in Game 2 of the day.

Galveston scored four runs in the first inning, leaving the Hawks to play catchup through the rest of the game. LSCPA scored two in the third to pull to within 4-2, then Galveston added a run in both the third and fourth innings, putting the Whitecaps up 6-2.

The Seahawks found their groove on offense, scoring four runs in the fifth inning to tie the game 6-6. Galveston all but put the game away with five runs in the sixth, though the Seahawks still managed to load the bases in the seventh with two outs, scoring one run on a walk. A pop fly ended the threat.

Stone went 2 for 4 with two runs scored, while Rivera was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Taylor Frederick doubled with two RBIs and freshman Brooke Smith went 1 for 3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Hunt took the loss on the hill, giving up three earned runs on four hits in one inning of work. Espitia worked the first inning of the game on the mound, allowing four earned runs on six hits, while freshman Kassandra Vargas worked the middle innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts.