Lady Demons lose close contest to St. Ed’s

The Mamou Lady Demon softball team traveled to Eunice on Thursday to take on the St. Edmund Lady Blue Jays. Mamou took the early lead in the third inning, but could not sustain that lead. St. Ed’s scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the 4-­2 win.
Mamou got on the board first. Kourtnie Deshotel led off the top of the third with long double. Ariel Lavigne singled, scoring Deshotel. Kailee Bertrand popped out to first base for the first out of the inning.
Amber Manuel came to the plate and singled, sending Lavigne to third and creating a first and third situation. Lauren Soileau produced a perfect sacrifice to score Lavigne. Logan Thomas grounded to first base to end the inning. With that productive inning, the Lady Demons led 2-­0.
St. Ed’s responded in the bottom of the third. After a strikeout by Mamou pitcher Amber Manuel,the Lady Blue Jays singled. Manuel enticed the next batter to ground back to her on the mound for the first out, but that allowed the runner to advance to second. The next St. Ed’s hitter singled, scoring the runner.
Manuel shut down the Lady Jays by getting the next batter to ground out. At the end of three, Mamou led 2-1.
Neither team could get anything going offensively until the bottom of the sixth inning. The Lady Jays began warming up the bats in the sixth. St. Ed’s capitalized on three hits, including a triple, and two Lady Demon errors to tack on three runs in the inning. With the last out in the sixth, the Lady Jays led 4­2.
Mamou came into the top of the seventh needing at least two runs to tie. Maggie Soileau reached based with a leadoff single. With Madison Trahan at the plate, Soileau was thrown out trying to steal second. Trahan struck out, followed by game ending strikeout by Kelsie Mayeux.
Amber Manuel picked up the loss on the mound, throwing six innings. Manuel allowed four runs on two hits, while striking out 11 and walking two. Leading the way at the plate was Deshotel, who was one for two with a run scored. Manuel was one for three with a run batted in.
The Lady Demons are now 0-­1 on the young season. They will be participating in the Bunkie tournament this weekend. Results will be posted as they become available.