Hanson Lady Tigers cruise past Vermilion Catholic, 12-4

ABBEVILLE _ Baylee Young, Paige Diamond and Charlotte Pillaro supplied the power while Sarah Sonnier and Ashley Meyerholtz did the pitching as the Hanson Memorial Lady Tigers rolled past the Vermilion Catholic Lady Eagles 12-4 in District 7-1A action here Tuesday at the Vermilion Catholic Lady Eagles Park.
Sonnier (11-4) worked six complete innings for the victory after facing 31 batters. Sonnier surrendered four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Meyerholtz (1-0) pitched one frame, not allowing a run nor a hit while fanning one and walking one.
Leading hitters for the Lady Tigers were: Baylee Young, 3 for 5, double, 2 singles; Paige Diamond, 3 for 4, home run, 2 singles, 4 RBIs and 3 runs and Charlotte Pillaro, who belted her first homer of the season.
The Lady Tigers secured a 2-0 lead in the top half of the opening inning. Hanson’s Allyssa Young singled and advanced to second when Paige Diamond reached by error before later tagging home plate when Baylee Young reached by error, giving Hanson a 1-0 lead. A short time later, Diamond raced across home plate, giving the Lady Tigers a 2-0 advantage.
Vermilion Catholic scored two runs in the bottom half of the first frame to knot the game at 2-2.
Hanson Memorial struck for seven runs in the top half of the third frame, building a 9-2 advantage.
Allyssa Young doubled to center field before Paige Diamond lined a single to send Young to third base. A high throw on the play enabled Young to score from third base, giving Hanson the 3-2 lead. Sarah Sonnier singled to left field advancing Diamond to second before Baylee Young hit a hard line drive advanced Diamond and courtesy runner Carly Pellerin. Casey Fitzgerald two-run producing double delivered Diamond and Pellerin, giving Hanson Memorial a 5-2 cushion. Lunden Verdin kept the rally going with a single to left field, sending Fitzgerald to third base and into scoring position. Hanson’s Amy Saintes lined a single to shortstop to score Fitzgerald before Verdin later tagged home plate on an overthrow, sending the Lady Tigers outfront by a 7-2 margin. Saintes later scored when Pillaro ripped her first home of the season _ a two-run blast to center field lifting the Lady Tigers to a pulsating 9-2 lead in the top half of the third frame.
Vermilion Catholic answered with one run in the bottom half of the third inning to trail the Lady Tigers by a count of 9-3.
Paige Diamond lined a 3-run homer to give the Lady Tigers a 12-3 advantage in the top half of the sixth frame. Kaylee Broussard and Allyssa Young smacked singles before Diamond belted her three-run homer to clear the bases and give the Lady Tigers a 12-3 advantage.
VCHS added one run in the bottom of the sixth inning but it was too little, too late as the Hanson Memorial Lady Tigers cruised to their sixth consecutive District 7-1A triumph by a final score of 12-4.
HANSON MEMORIAL 10, HIGHLAND BAPTIST 3
Sarah Sonnier picked up her 10 win of the season after leading the Hanson Memorial Lady Tigers to a 10-3 District 7-1A victory over the Highland Baptist Lady Bears Monday at the Hanson Memorial Softball Complex.
Sonnier (10-4) worked five scoreless innings, yielding two hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Ashley Meyerholtz pitched two frames, surrendering three runs on three hits with one strikeout.
Leading hitters for Hanson Memorial were: Kaylee Broussard, 3 for 5, double, 2 singles, RBI and Casey Fitzgerald, 3 for 4, double, 2 singles, 2 RBI.
Hanson Memorial (12-4, 6-0) will play host to the AES Lady Gators today at 5 p.m. in District 7-1A.