Walkin' into the elite eight: Broussard's hit helps propel Berwick to upset of NV

The Berwick softball team pulled off one of the biggest upsets the program has seen in quite some time Tuesday — one that shook the playoff bracket in a huge way.
Trailing by three runs with just six outs remaining, Berwick (16-13) used a four-run rally in the final two innings to stun No. 2 seeded North Vermillion 8-7 in the Class 3A Regional Round of the playoffs.
Maci Broussard lined the game-tying hit into left field as Berwick completed its comeback. Her single initially scored the tying run from second base, and when the ball got past North Vermilion’s Brittney Primeaux in left field, the winning run scored all the way from first to give the Lady Panthers the stunning walk-off win.
“I knew we were going to tie it” on the hit by Broussard, Berwick Coach Joe Russo said. “We weren’t going to send the second runner, but when I read the error, I pushed it through. The kids had good reads on the bases all day.”
They also had the energy and resolve not to fold when their season appeared to be in its twilight.
After taking a 3-0 lead in the second inning, Berwick trailed 7-4 going into the bottom of the sixth.
With the game on the edge of slipping away, the Lady Panthers needed their bats to reignite in a hurry.
That started right away when Anna Vaccarella homered to deep left to lead off the sixth and make the score 7-5. The Lady Panthers added another run when Mikah Ortiz smacked an RBI single back up the middle to make it a one-run game.
Panthers pitcher Bronwyn Colbert kept her team in the game by tossing a scoreless seventh. She pitched all seven innings, yielding seven runs, 11 hits — including two home runs — and five walks but shut the door when it mattered most.
“On the mound, I kept thinking I have to place the pitch where coach wants it and hopefully the defense will work behind me,” Colbert said. “I knew as long as I did what I had to do and the defense did what it had to, it would all come together eventually.”
The bottom of the seventh looked promising for Berwick from the start as Ashlynn Fitter reached on an infield single, and Vaccarella followed with a walk to put the tying and winning runs on base with no one out.
Two batters later, Broussard came through with the game-winner. Her single would have easily scored the tying run alone, but as the Berwick bench watched the ball get past the left fielder’s glove, they soon began pouring onto the field in joyous delirium as they had just knocked the No. 2 seed out of the playoffs.
“When I saw the kids (Tuesday) morning, I could see that they wanted it,” Russo said. “They went up to the Arkansas line to beat the No. 15 seed and then came back home and beat the No. 2 seed. That says a lot about the work ethic and drive. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Broussard’s game-winner was her first time reaching base, but her other at-bats also were productive. She helped drive in a run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move two runners into scoring position in the fourth.
As she saw the final play unfold, she said it was the happiest she’d ever been on the softball diamond.
“When I saw the winning run racing home, I couldn’t believe what was happening,” she said. “It’s been so long since we got past even the first round. I just can’t believe this is actually happening. We all had the mindset that we were going to win. This is one of the hardest games to get past. From here on, it’s just lagniappe.”
That lagniappe will begin this Saturday when Berwick hosts No. 7 Mamou at 4 p.m. Mamou advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating No. 10 Sterlington 11-1 in six innings in other regional-round action.
In Tuesday’s win, top offensive contributors for Berwick were: Vaccarella, 1-for-2 with a home run, an RBI and four runs; Alyssa Gray, 1-for-3, a double, two RBIs and a run; Maddie Carline, 2-for-3, a double; Broussard, 1-for-2, a double and three runs; and Ortiz, 1-for-4, an RBI.
Jodi Broussard suffered the loss for North Vermillion (22-9). She pitched the final 5.1 innings in relief after Miah Broussard started and loaded the bases to open the second.
Jodi Broussard surrendered five runs — three earned — on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Miah Broussard pitched an inning and surrendered three runs (three earned) on four hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Top North Vermilion offensive contributors were: Miah Broussard, 2-for-3 with a home run, an RBI and a run; Abigail Lopez, 2-for-4, two doubles, two RBIs and a run; Jodi Broussard, 1-for-3, a home run, three RBIs and a run; Primeaux, 2-for-4, a double and two runs; Hannah Menard, 1-for-3, an RBI; and Kennedy Semien, 2-for-4.
Additional reporting by Review Sports Editor Geoff Stoute.