Southwest softball clinched a spot in the Region 23 Tournament championship with back-to-back victories Monday. The Lady Bears defeated LSU-Eunice 9-4 and Northwest 9-7, securing their place in the final.
Offense led the way for Southwest, which hit four home runs against LSU-Eunice. Tristan Allen, Allie Ladnier, Corin Talbot, and Alexis Dejean all homered in the game. Ladnier pitched a complete game, allowing four runs and recording one strikeout.
After a short break, Southwest faced Northwest. The Lady Bears jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, with Allen hitting her 22nd homer of the season. Kate Clements added a single in the second, driving in Lauryn Roebuck to extend the lead to 5-0.
The Rangers responded with a rally, closing the gap to 5-4. Southwest regained control in the sixth inning when Ladnier singled, scoring Ashford and Roebuck. Allen homered again in the seventh, her 23rd of the season, putting the Lady Bears up 9-4.
Northwest fought back with two home runs in the bottom of the seventh, narrowing the score to 9-7. A final out, caught by Madalyn Ashford, ended the game. Ladnier earned the win, pitching the first two innings, while Mary Claire Salley and Ballard Kraft contributed with relief.
Southwest finished with 22 hits and six home runs on the day, led by Allen’s three homers and five RBIs. Head coach Shea Johnson praised his team’s effort and resilience, noting their historic playoff success. “Getting a chance to finish top four in our conference is tremendous,” he said.
Johnson emphasized the team’s unity and talent, highlighting Allen’s power and Ladnier’s comeback story after a back injury. The Lady Bears will face Co-Lin on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the bracket championship, needing to win twice to advance to the regional final.
