PINEVILLE, La. – The William Carey Softball team opened its 2026 season in dominant fashion, rolling past Texas A&M–Victoria with a 14–0 run-rule victory highlighted by a no-hitter, before outlasting LSU–Alexandria in a thrilling 10-inning, 8–7 battle.
 
"What a day," said Head Coach Wendy Hogue. Our first game against a quality opponent was exactly what we needed to start the year. Anytime you can score 14 behind a no-hit performance from your pitcher, it's a good day. Defense played lights out and we had a great day at the plate."
 
The Lady Crusaders wasted no time striking in their season opener. After an error allowed Liz Cross to reach base in the top of the first, Carey quickly loaded the bases. Albanie Fussell delivered the first big hit of the year, ripping a two-run single through the right side. Moments later, Jayden Sawyer lined an RBI single to make it 3–0 before TAMUV could escape the inning.
 
Pitcher Ryanne Hornsby set the tone in the circle as well, retiring the Jaguars in order in the bottom half to begin what would become a historic performance.
 
Carey added another run in the fourth inning when Cross tripled to right-center and scored on a Brooklyn Montana RBI groundout. At the same time, Victoria remained hitless and struggled to generate any offensive momentum.
 
The fifth inning, however, was where the Lady Crusaders truly broke the game open. Fussell led off with a single, and Carey quickly loaded the bases again. Harper Dupre then emptied them, drilling a three-run double down the left-field line to push the lead to 7–0. Cross singled, Montana walked, and Caroline Lindsey followed with a two-run single up the middle.
 
Still rolling, Carey added another RBI single from Fussell—her fourth hit of the game—and a two-run double by Kinley Hogue. Two additional unearned runs came across after a defensive miscue, and by the end of the explosive 10-run inning, Carey held a commanding 14–0 advantage.
 
Hornsby made quick work of the Jaguars in the bottom of the fifth, sealing the no-hitter and the run-rule win.
 
"And game 2 – wow," said Hogue. "In 26 years of coaching I've never seen a grittier team win. Both teams just refused to quit. And in the end, we were able to walk away with the W. LSUA is going to win a lot of games this year… I'm just glad this wasn't one of them. So proud of our girls! Today was fun. It was our honor to play for HIS glory"
 
The nightcap told a very different story, as both teams battled deep into extra innings.
 
After scoreless frames early, Carey broke through in the third. With two outs, Montana worked a walk and Lindsey followed by drilling an RBI double into the right-center gap. Fussell added to the lead in the fourth, turning on a pitch and sending a solo homer over the left-field wall for her first of the season.
 
LSUA answered in the bottom half, plating a run on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to 2–1.
 
Lindsey struck again in the fifth with another RBI double to score Montana, but the Generals continued to fight back, closing the gap to 3–2 in the sixth. Carey tacked on a run in the seventh on a defensive miscue, but LSUA rallied in the bottom half with a two-run double from Sydney Romero to tie the game 4–4 and force extras.
 
In the eighth, Carey manufactured two runs with just one hit. A bunt single and a throwing error allowed Dupre to score, and Lindsey—continuing her huge night—drilled another run-scoring double. LSUA responded once more, pushing across two runs of its own to knot the game at 6–6.
 
After a scoreless ninth, Carey broke the tie in the 10th. Montana legged out an infield single and stole second, putting runners on second and third. Julia Shaw came through with a sharp single to right to give Carey the lead, and Fussell followed with another RBI single to extend it to 8–6.
 
LSUA threatened again, producing a leadoff RBI double in the bottom of the frame to pull within one. A walk and sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with one out, but Shaw locked in—striking out the next batter and inducing a routine grounder to short to end the game.
 
The Lady Crusaders return to action tomorrow with match ups against Louisiana Christian at 10:10 a.m. and Texas A&M–San Antonio at 12:30 p.m.