LaSalle long ball, Estis’ two HRs end Merryville’s season
Published 4:15 pm Friday, April 30, 2021
Rodrick Anderson
SULPHUR — No. 3 Merryville made a late run, but Carli Estis’ two home runs were enough to lift No. 2 LaSalle to a 3-2 win in the Class 1A semifinals Thursday at the state softball tournament.
The loss ended the Panthers’ (15-6) first trip to North Frasch Park in 15 seasons.
“We have had a great year,” Merryville head coach Jade-Renee Vizena said. “The girls worked hard.
“They have put 110 percent out there every day. They have had a really good season and I am proud of them.”
Estis hit both long balls to center field and both with two outs. The first was a solo shot in the first inning, and the second was a two-run blast in the third inning.
“That girl could hit,” Vizena said. “She got up there, and even with us throwing it off the plate she chased it and got a hold of it.”
In the top of the sixth inning, Hannah Harrington hit an infield single with one out to start the rally for the Panthers. Riley Dyson got a free pass, and a batter later the bases were loaded for senior Jenna Reeves, who hit a two-run single up the middle. But the Panthers couldn’t extend the rally and went down in order in the seventh inning.
“Our bats finally picked up in the top of the sixth inning,” Vizena said. “We rallied for a while and couldn’t put it together in the seventh.”
The Panthers had scoring chances early. They got runners on the corners in the second inning but hit into a double play. Dyson led off the fourth inning with a single, but again the Tigers turned a double play, and pitcher Landri Campbell struck out four batters in the first three innings.
“The early innings, we were hitting (Campbell), but we just weren’t hitting her,” Vizena said. “We were putting them in play but not finding holes.”
After giving up two home runs to Estis, Merryville pitcher Dyson held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way. She struck out eight batters, walked one and scattered seven hits in six innings.
The Panthers lose a pair of seniors in shortstop Alyssa Duncan and Reeves, a third baseman, but Vizena said she sees another run to Sulphur in the near future.
“We are going to miss our two seniors, but we hope to back next year,” Vizena said.
LaSalle (25-7) will play No. 1 Oak Grove (18-6) in the final at 11 a.m. Saturday. It will be the fourth time in five years that two have met in the final. Oak Grove won 10-4 in 2019 and 2-1 in 2018. LaSalle won in 2017 6-2.
Merryville’s Jenna Reeves looks to hit against LaSalle during the LHSAA Softball State Tournament Class 1A semi-final at Frasch Park in Sulphur, Louisiana on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Lake Charles American Press, Kirk Meche)
