ALEXANDRIA, La. - #12 William Carey Softball opened their 2023 season with a five hit shutout over Central Baptist and no-hitter against Lindsey Wilson Friday afternoon.

In game one against Central Baptist, the Lady Crusaders got all the offense they would need in the first and third inning.  Dee Dee West staked Carey to a 2-0 lead in the first with a two run homerun to centerfield.  The final run of the game came on a passed ball that scored Rachel Rodriguez.

Freshman pitcher Ryanne Hornsby delivered a five hit shutout with five strikeouts and no walks in her Carey debut to pick up the win the circle.

Game two against Lindsey Wilson, it was almost a mirror image of the first, but this time it a two RBI double to center by Carley Kidder in the first that put the Lady Crusaders on the board.  The score would remain 2-0 until the fifth when Kidder delivered another double to center to score West for the final margin.

WCU starting pitcher Haley Nations got her senior campaign underway in grand fashion with a no-hitter.  Nations finished with one walk and 12 strikeouts to pick up the win.

The Lady Crusaders are back in action today, as they wrap up play in the LSU-Alexandria Invite with games against host LSUA and the University of Houston-Victoria.  First pitch against LSUA is slated for 9:00 am with a 1:45 pm time scheduled against UHV.