Natchitoches Central and St. Mary’s both were victims of offensive eruptions that knocked their softball teams out of the LHSAA playoffs Tuesday afternoon.
NCHS lost 9-5 at home to Live Oak in a Non-Select Division I regional round game. St. Mary’s was beaten 15-1 at Ville Platte by Sacred Heart in a Select Division IV regional contest.
The Lady Chiefs, who finished with a 26-7 record as the seventh seed in the playoff bracket, fell behind early, briefly tied the game at 3, but could not contain Live Oak’s attack. The 10th-seeded visitors went back on top with a solo home run in the fourth inning and continued to pull away.
NCHS got a two-run Lila Robertson home run that drew the Lady Chiefs even at 3-3 in the third inning, after Maggie Massia doubled in a run.
Massia had a multiple-hit game and Paityn Anthony contributed a sacrifice fly RBI. Robertson added a run-scoring double.
Down south, the sixth seeded Lady Trojans run-ruled the Lady Tigers, whose run came on a homer by Tyonnah Burton in the third inning.
Sacred Heart jumped to a 2-0 first-inning lead, then scored eight times in the second inning.
St. Mary’s, the 11th-seed, finished with a 22-10 record.
