DILLARD HOLDS OFF LEMOYNE-OWEN, 5–3, BEHIND THIRD-INNING BURST AND LANDRY’S 12 K

NEW ORLEANS (2-19-26)— Dillard (La.) used a decisive four-run third inning and a dominant pitching performance from Mary-Elizabeth Landry to earn a 5–3 win over Lemoyne-Owen on Thursday afternoon at Wesley.

The Bleu Devils (5 runs, 8 hits) struck first in the second inning when Kyiera Torrence pressured the defense, advancing to third on a wild pitch and then scoring on the throw for a 1–0 lead. After Lemoyne-Owen answered in the top of the third with a two-run single from Joiner to go ahead 2–1, Dillard immediately flipped the game with its biggest inning of the day.

Ja'Lise Stewart tied it with a solo home run, igniting a third-inning surge that featured extra-base damage and timely contact. Ca'Terra Bates delivered an RBI double to put Dillard in front, Jessica Battiste followed with another RBI double, and Torrence capped the rally with an RBI single—stretching the margin to 5–2.

Lemoyne-Owen made one last push in the fifth when Brownlee knocked an RBI single and benefited from an error to trim the deficit to 5–3, but Landry shut the door the rest of the way. The Dillard right-hander went the distance, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out 12 in seven innings.

Offensively, Dillard spread production throughout the lineup. Stewart finished 2-for-2 with a homer and an RBI, Battiste went 2-for-3 with an RBI double, and Torrence added 2-for-3 with an RBI while also scoring a run. Bates reached base twice and drove in a run with her double, and Weathersp contributed a hit and a run scored.

Lemoyne-Owen was limited to three hits, with Joiner accounting for two RBIs and Brownlee adding the other run-producing hit. Despite the late rally, Dillard's third-inning response and Landry's strikeout-heavy outing proved to be the difference.

-Bleu Devils-