MONROE, La. – Stephanie Routzon threw her first career
no-hitter to lead the ULM softball team to an 8-0 five inning run-rule shutout
of Grambling State Tuesday evening at the ULM Softball Complex.
The freshman pitcher was just one hit batter away from a
perfect game which she did with the leadoff hitter of the game. Her seven strikeouts also marks a career-best for Routzon which was previously five strikeouts.
Brianna Love went 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBIs and two
doubles to lead ULM at bat while Janel Salanoa went 2-for-3 with two runs, one
RBI and one double. Melissa Rivera also had one double while Love, Salanoa and
Miyuki Navarrete each had a stolen base.
ULM (25-19, 10-8 Sun Belt) scored its first run early in the
first inning with a sacrifice fly out by Love to plate Jessica Olguin before it
broke out with three runs in the third inning to take a 4-0 lead. Elise West scored
off a Navarrete RBI ground out followed by a RBI single and RBI double to push Love
and Salanoa across home plate.
Navarrete walked and stole second to lead off the fifth
inning before Love nailed a double to the left field wall to plate her. The
next two batters reached on a fielder's choice and a walk until a fielder's
choice allowed another run to score. A final fielding error allowed Lacey Willis
and Elena DiMattia to plate the final two runs and the end the game with an 8-0
mercy-rule victory.
Angela Perez started in the circle for Grambling State
(10-21) and threw 3.0 innings to allow four earned runs off six hits with one
walk. Chelsea Felton entered for 1.2 innings of relief and gave up another four
runs off one hit with three walks and two strikeouts.
ULM embarks on a six-game roadstand this weekend beginning
with a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Western Kentucky starting
with a doubleheader Friday at 4 p.m.
