MONROE, La. - The Sam Houston softball team started Saturday strong in 7-1 victory over Northwestern State in the morning session of the Best On The Bayou Tournament at the ULM Softball Complex.  

The Bearkats (4-7) pounded out 11 total hits with five going for extra bases, including three doubles and a pair of triples. Haleigh Carter led the Kats with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, scoring three times; however, the big hits came from Julia Herzinger and Elia Hebel who picked up three RBI apiece. 

Sam Houston took the lead early with a pair of runs in the first inning and put it away with three more in the fifth and two in the sixth. 

In the circle, Daryn Grams went the distance, punching out four Demons in her 7.0 innings of work. The senior allowed just four hits and one run while walking a pair to up her season record to 2-1. 

The Kats will face Evansville at 2 pm to finish out Day 2 action.   
 
POSTGAME NOTES 
- Brodie Quinlan and Julia Herzinger each had triples in the game, marking only the sixth time in program history that Kats have registered multiple triples in a single game. The last time came in the 2023 season opener vs UTSA when Sam Houston hit two. 
 
- Herzinger finished 2-for-4 in the game, including a 3-run triple to put the Kats up 5-1 in the fifth. It was her second career three-bagger. 
 
- Elia Hebel reached base in all four of her trips to the plate, walking twice and delivering an RBI double in the first and a 2-run single in the sixth to cap the game's scoring.