Vandy ladies fall to St. Thomas More, 5-2

When Lauren Martinez led off with a double, things looked good for Vandebilt Catholic in its semi-final game against St. Thomas More.

However, a batter later, Martinez made a base-running mistake and was caught in a run-down between second and third base, and the Lady Terriers lost their short-lived momentum; momentum that they never regained, eventually losing 5-2.

Vandebilt coach Margaret Johnson said the momentum shift was critical. “That was a crucial base-running error,” she said. “What that did was change the momentum. This game is about momentum, and when you lose it, you’ve got to try to gain it back real quick. I don’t feel we gained it back … because they came out and scored a run.”

The Lady Cougars went on to win the Louisiana High School Athletic Associations Fast Pitch 56 tournament.

Johnson said a failure to play a clean game cost her team against a more experienced St. Thomas More squad. “Two things I felt we had to do today in order to beat St. Thomas more, since they have seven seniors … was not to give away any runs and to hit the ball,” the coach said. “We left nine people on base, and we just didn’t come through with the hits.”

The Lady Terriers’ inability to score runners was magnified in the third and fifth innings, when they left the bases loaded each time.

In the fifth inning, Vandebilt loaded the bases with one out, but scored just one run, when Maddie Constant was hit by a pitch. The next two batters struck out. “At this stage in the game, when you get close, and you get runs in scoring position, you’ve got to put them across the plate,” said Johnson.

After Vandebilt didn’t take advantage of Martinez’s lead-off double, St. Thomas More got on the board in the bottom of the first. With a runner on first, Lauren Houston connected on an RBI-double to put the Lady Cougars ahead 1-0.

In the second inning, Jennifer Martin’s homerun to centerfield put St. Thomas More ahead 2-0.

After the homer, Vandebilt switched pitchers, replacing Martinez with Lauren Crane. Johnson said the Lady Cougars’ hitting style was the reason she started Martinez, a southpaw. “As soon as we got in trouble, we wanted to change,” said Johnson. “We told the pitchers before, you’ve just got to be ready at anytime.”

After a fielding error at third base, Crane sat the next three batters to end the inning.

The Lady Terriers got on the board in the third inning, making it 2-1. After loading the bases, Kacey Clark hit a bloop single to leftfield, scoring Elizabeth Prosperie. The next batter grounded out to end the inning.

St. Thomas More had an emphatic answer, scoring three runs in the third inning. A fielding error in rightfield allowed Brittany Landry to score from second base for a 3-1 lead.

St. Thomas More later loaded the bases with one out, and two fielder’s choices later, led 5-1.

Vandebilt scored in the fifth inning on a hit batter, but failed to muster anything else.

Lady Cougars head coach Andria Waguespack said she was proud of her team for beating defending champion Vandebilt. “You’re talking about a great tradition,” said Waguespack. “You’re talking about Vandebilt Catholic. It doesn’t get much classier than that. I’m very proud of my girls.”

Waguespack said her team’s ability to avoid hitting fly balls played a key role in the win. “You’re putting the ball into play and letting things happen,” she said. “Today, we just put the ball in play, and we put pressure on them to make plays.”