HAMMOND -- One would think a 1-2 showing in a tournament would be cause for concern, but Albany softball coach John Legoria doesn't see it that way after his team's effort in the St. Thomas Aquinas Tournament at Chappapeela Sports Park.
The Lady Hornets opened the event with a 2-0 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday and followed with a 3-2 loss to Brusly. But things came together in a 7-0 win over Northshore to close out the team's play in the tournament.
"I'm proud of my girls," Legoria said. "We played three good games. We went 1-2, but to be proud of a 1-2 record is pretty good, because we played three well-oiled machine teams that are real good, and we played with all three of them. That's what we can take from this and move on and get ready for the next game."
And Legoria is well aware of the impact his team's performance in the tournament could have on the Class 3A power rankings.
"I would have loved to have come out of here with a 3-0 record and really jump (in the power rankings)," Legoria said. "But it didn't happen that way. That's why this game (Northshore win), was huge, because when you lose two against two teams, you're not going drop that much, but teams are going to catch you, and this was a game that we had to have."
ALBANY 7, NORTHSHORE 0
Albany broke open a scoreless game with four runs in the top of the 5th after Rayanne Ridgel, Camryn Woods and Savanna Bourgeois collected three straight two-out singles, with Bourgeois' scoring Ridgel for a 1-0 lead.
That paved the way for leadoff hitter Heather Degenhardt, who launched a three-run home run to left-center field for a 4-0 lead.
"I was just looking for something that I could smash, because before that game, I was like 0-and-4, and I did not want to go out like 0-and-8," said Degenhardt, who went 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs and a run scored to lead the Lady Hornets. "I was just looking for something I could hit, and that just happened to be just what I needed."
In the bottom of the fifth, Northshore had runners at first and third with one out, but Northshore's Emily Dubussion grounded out to first. Justice Renard attempted to score from third on the play, but Bourgeois fired home, and Ridgel applied the tag to complete the double play and end the inning.
In the fourth, Albany got the second out of the inning at third on a fielder's choice.
"Savanna Bourgeois made some great plays today," Legoria said. "This game, she brought it. The play at third on the bunt, and the comeback throw was huge. That kind of killed their rally, and it knocked them down. That was a huge play in the game where the game could have gone the other way if we don't get that out."
Albany padded the lead with a three-run 6th after Annalea Giamalva led off with double and Brittany Turner singled to set up Abby Spring's RBI sacrifice fly and RBI singles by Bourgeois and Degenhardt to close out the scoring.
Meanwhile, Turner held Northshore in check, scattering eight hits while striking out three in a complete-game win. The Lady Panthers left seven runners on base.
"Those little bloopers and those gappers -- it's going to happen in every game, and whenever it does happen, I just know that the next batter, I have to try even harder so that she won't hit as good or get as big of a hit, so we can keep the runs as low as possible," Turner said.
"My change-up was good, but they did adjust to the change-up, so I ended up pitching a lot more screws," Turner said. "And I ended up doing a lot of fastballs in that game."
Albany 7, Northshore 0
Albany 000 430 0 -- 7 9 2
Northshore 000 000 0 -- 0 8 2
Brittany Turner and Rayanne Ridgel. Montana Young and Mallory Suberville. W -- Turner (9-3). L -- Young. 2B: Albany -- Annalea Giamalva. HR: Albany -- Heather Degenhardt. Records: Albany 15-8, Northshore 17-10. Up next: Pine at Albany, 4:30 p.m. Monday.
BRUSLY 3, ALBANY 2
Albany trailed 3-2 heading into the top of the 7th, when Shelby Cannon led off with a walk. But Kaci Payne popped up to short and Cannon was doubled up at first before Annalea Giamalva struck out swinging to end the game.
Brusly grabbed the lead for good on MC Comeaux's solo home run with one out in the top of the 1st.
Brusly padded the lead in the 3rd after Comeaux drew a one-out walk, Karli David doubled, and Gabi Mancuso followed with a two-run double to make the score 3-0.
Albany broke through in the 5th after Spring singled, paving the way for Payne's two-run home run to left with two outs to cut the lead to 3-2.
"She threw it kind of inner or down the middle," Payne said. "That is the pitch that's my strongest pitch that I have, so usually when I get one of them, I crunch the ball pretty good, or at least I try to."
Turner and Ridgel each went 1-for-4, and Spring was 1-for-2 with a run scored for Albany's other hits.
Giamalva walked and Turner singled, but Ridgel flied out to end the threat.
Albany, which stranded eight runners in the game, got a runner to second with two outs in the sixth but was unable to score.
"We have two very good pitchers, and if we just execute things we need to execute, games are going to be close," Legoria said. "We're not going to score a lot of runs, so we've got to do the little things right to win."
Giamalva gave up six hits, struck out two and walked one in a complete-game loss.
"It's frustrating when we don't hit," Giamalva said. "We normally hit pretty good, and that's what wins us ball games. But out there, I just go out there and throw strikes because I know my defense has my back. I'm not a strikeout pitcher, so I just put movement on the ball and try to produce ground balls and pop flies, and I know my defense has my back."
Brusly 3, Albany 2
Albany 000 020 0 -- 2 4 3
Brusly 102 000 x -- 3 6 3
Annalea Giamalva and Rayanne Ridgel. Saylor Young, MC Comeaux (6) and Bella Hymel. W -- Young. L -- Giamalva (6-4). 2B: Albany -- Ridgel; Brusly -- Karli David. HR: Albany -- Kaci Payne; Brusly -- Comeaux. Records: Albany 14-8, Brusly 21-4.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 2, ALBANY 0
Karlee Kraft hit a two-run home run in the 1st inning and held the Lady Hornets to two hits while striking out three in a complete-game win.
Albany left five on base as Degenhardt and Payne each went 1-for-2.
Turner gave up eight hits, struck out seven and walked two in a complete-game loss.
St. Thomas Aquinas 2, Albany 0
Albany 000 000 0 -- 0 2 2
St. Thomas Aquinas 200 000 x -- 2 8 0
W -- Karlee Kraft. L -- Brittney Turner. HR: St. Thomas Aquinas -- Kraft. Records: Albany 14-7, St. Thomas Aquinas 18-10.
