Nicholls State signee Lauren Baudoin had one final gem Sunday to punctuate her decorated Vandebilt Catholic career before moving up Highway 24 for college.
The reigning Class 4A LSWA Outstanding Player and two-time (and counting) all-state selection allowed just three hits and five total base-runners to pace the No. 1 Terriers past No. 3 Archbishop Hannan, 2-0, to repeat as Division-II Select champions.
And with drama mounting with bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Baudoin fanned her final high school batter to strand three Hawks and launch her team into celebration.
Sophomore shortstop Kallie Waalk drew a lead-off walk in the bottom of the first and eventually scored on a two-out single by senior catcher Hays Rutledge, and junior third baseman Lexi Matherne hit a lead-off homer in the fourth inning.
The two runs were more support than Baudoin would even need as she cruised through the contest, striking out three and showing the veteran poise to navigate out of the two true jams she faced.
Archbishop Hannan had the makings for a two-out rally in the second as freshman second baseman Lucy Barrileaux and junior pitcher Ava Kulivan reached on a single and error, respectively. But Baudoin drew an inning-ending groundout the next at-bat to maintain the early 1-0 edge.
Few other Hawks could find their way aboard, but they managed to do so in clutch succession late as they continued to battle.
Junior catcher Riley Williams drew the team’s lone walk, and sophomore third baseman Alya Taylor and Kulivan followed with singles to load the bases with two outs.
But, again, Baudoin had the answer to cap the game, the championship and her career with one more highlight strikeout.
Rutledge finished 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and reached safely on an error in her third at-bat.