Back again

MONROE-- They’re back!!!
Not only has Sacred Heart punched their ticket to the state softball tournament for the second year in a row, but the Lady Trojans also find themselves in the state semi-finals for the first time since 2004 after a commanding 15-5 win over the St. Frederick Lady Warriors Saturday afternoon.
Sacred Heart, the No. 13 ranked team in Division IV will now face the No. 1 ranked Ouachita Christian Lady Trojans for the right to a spot in the state championship game. The two teams will tangle tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. at Frasch Park in Sulphur.
“We had a lot of confidence coming into the game against St. Frederick,” stated Sacred Heart head coach Chris Mayes. “We had a good scouting report and thought we knew what they were going to do. The girls and the coaches had a real good feel about the game before we took the field.”
It also helped tremendously that the Lady Trojans had beaten the Lady Warriors last year in the quarterfinals.
Sacred Heart began the game against St. Frederick on the right note, scoring a single run in their first at bat. With one out, Sydney Soileau walked and reached second on a passed ball.
Following a strike out, Olivia Hernadez delivered a two out single to left field that drove home Soileau.
St. Frederick countered that run in the bottom of the first, bringing home two runs of their own. Three singles and a fielder’s choice were responsible for the Lady Warrior’s 2-1 lead after one inning of play.
The Sacred Heart bats came alive in the top of the second, as the Lady Trojans plated seven huge runs to take a commanding six point advantage.
With one out, Emilyse Bergeron singled to center field. Lauren Shipp was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second.
Natalie Doucet sent a ball to center field for a double, plating Bergeron and giving Sacred Heart runners at second and third. Karli Fontenot did not waste the opportunity to bring home Shipp and Doucet as she blasted a 1-0 pitch over the center field wall for a three-run dinger.
Soileau followed that up with a triple to right field and would score on a passed ball. Tobie Landry singled, setting the stage for Camille Soileau’s two out two-run jack into deep center field ending a very fruitful inning for Sacred Heart at the plate.
The bats went dormant for both teams until the top of the fourth when the Lady Trojans basically put the game out of reach with five more runs.
Karli Fontenot doubled to lead off for Sacred Heart. A single by Sydney Soileau followed, moving Fontenot to third base. An error by the Lady Warrior right fielder allowed Landry to move into scoring position at second base, put Soileau at third and plated Fontenot.
Maci Vidrine, batting in the place of Hernandez drew a no out walk to load the bases. Camille Soileau singled, sending Sydney Soileau home and kept the bases juiced.
Camille Fontenot followed with a single of her own, scoring Vidrine and Camille Soileau. Fontenot would move to second on a single off the bat of Bergeron and come home to score on a one bagger from Lauren Shipp.
Sacred Heart added to their total in the top of the fifth when Vidrine singled, moved to second on a single from Camille Soileau and scored on an error by the St. Frederick defense.
With the scoreboard lit up in favor of the Lady Trojans, 14-1, all Sacred Heart had to do was hold on. And that they did.
Although the Lady Warriors managed to pick up three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, Sacred Heart closed out the game in the top of the sixth by picking up another run and shutting down the St. Frederick offense one last time.
Camille Fontenot went the distance in the circle for the Lady Trojans, giving up five runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking one.
Sydney Soileau and Camille Soileau were both 3 for 4 at the plate to lead Sacred Heart. Doucet, Bergeron and Fontenot all collected two hits apiece for the Lady Trojans.
Now Sacred Heart must face Ouachita Christian and in some sense their nerves as they head into the semi-finals.
“Having been there last year, this group of girls knows what to expect,” said Mayes. “They understand the magnitude of the situation and, I believe, will be focused on the task at hand. We have to make the plays on defense and not give them any unearned runs if we expect to win. I just hope the stage is not too big for them.”