Southeastern-Alabama State Box Score
Southeastern-North Dakota State Box Score

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team split a pair of games to open the season on the opening day of the Hampton Inn Lion Classic Friday afternoon at North Oak Park.

In the opener, Southeastern (1-1) bounced back from an early four-run deficit to earn a 7-4 victory over Alabama State. Freshman Jordan Logan, senior Heather Sherrill and junior Chelsea Takacs had two hits apiece for the Lady Lions with Logan driving in the first two runs of her collegiate career. Freshman Katelyn Thomason (1-0) scattered five hits in a complete game victory in her collegiate debut.

In the nightcap, North Dakota State scored four runs in the first two innings on the way to a 5-1 win over the Lady Lions. Freshman Lauren Coniglio drove in the first run of her collegiate career with a double, but Southeastern could only manage four hits off NDSU pitcher Andi Padilla.

In the day's other game on Field One, Belmont scored in the bottom of the seventh to earn a 1-0 victory. On Field Two, North Dakota State defeated Jackson State, 25-1. Later in the day, Southern defeated Jackson State, 7-6. In the nightcap, Belmont blanked Grambling, 5-0.

On Field Three, Mississippi Valley State blanked Tennessee-Martin, 1-0 to open the day's action. MVSU ran its tourney record to 2-0 with a 9-4 win over Grambling. UTM was too much for Southern in the nightcap, winning 9-1.

Southeastern will be back in action on Field One versus Southern on Saturday at 10 a.m. The Lady Lions will also face Belmont at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 7, Alabama State 4
Thomason got off to a rough start in the top of the first inning, walking Ariel Gainey and Ayesha Gamble to lead off the game. Quaneshia Limbrick staked ASU to the early lead with a one-out three-run home run.

Southeastern cut into the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Logan drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI single by Sherrill to allow the Lady Lions to pull within two at 3-1.

The Lady Lions tied the game up in the bottom of the second inning. Takacs led off the frame with the single and later scored on an error. An RBI single by Logan knotted the game.

ASU retook the lead in the third. Gainey struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. Gainey would advance to third on a double by Tiffany Wells and later score on the second wild pitch of the inning to put ASU, up 4-3.

Southeastern retook the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Sherrill singled to lead off the inning and scored on a Takacs single. Sophomore Tamra Ladnier broke the tie with a two-out single to score freshman Meghan Gomez. Takacs put the Lady Lions on top, 6-4, scoring on an ASU error, one of nine miscues made by the Lady Hornets.

Thomason settled down from there, holding Alabama State scoreless for the remainder of the game. Southeastern scored an insurance run in the fifth. Sophomore Kelly Lyman led off the inning with a double and pinch runner Kati Hayes later scored on a single by Logan.

ASU – 301 000 0 – 4 5 9
SLU – 123 010 0 – 7 10 0
Sanchez and Crossley. Thomason and Coniglio. W – Thomason (1-0). L – Sanchez. HR – ASU: Limbrick. 2B – ASU: Wells; SLU: Lyman (1). T-1:47. A-101.

Game Two – North Dakota State 5, Southeastern Louisiana 1
The first three NDSU batters reached in the bottom of the first inning off Southeastern junior Jenna Yoder (0-1). A sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout put the Bison up, 2-0.

Southeastern cut into the deficit in the top of the second inning. Gomez drew a one-out walk and scored after Coniglio double off the right field fence to cut the margin to 2-1.

NDSU would add to their lead in the second inning. Laurel Pipkin and Elisa Victa both drove in runs to put the Bison ahead, 4-1.

Southeastern had an opportunity to cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth, as Padilla walked Gomez and Lyman and gave up a single to Ladnier to load the bases with two outs. However, Padilla recovered to force Logan to foul out to left field to keep the lead at three.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Kelly Cantrell doubled home a run to provide an insurance run for NDSU. It was the one mistake by Southeastern sophomore pitcher Bailey Zievert, who allowed four hits in 4.1 innings of relief.

Southeasern had one more chance for a comeback in the seventh. Lyman led off the inning with a double, but Padilla retired the next three Lady Lions to preserve the win.

SLU – 010 000 0 – 1 4 0
NDS – 220 010 x – 5 9 0
Yoder, Zievert (2) and Gomez. Padilla and Cantrell. W – Padilla. L – Yoder (0-1). 2B – SLU: Coniglio (1), Lyman (2); NDS: Victa, Cantrell. T – 1:52. A – 155.

2009 Hampton Inn Lion Classic

Friday, February 13
Field One
12 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana 7, Alabama State 4
2:30 p.m. – Belmont 1, Alabama State 0
5 p.m. – North Dakota State 5, Southeastern Louisiana 1

Field Two
12 p.m. – North Dakota State 25, Jackson State 1
2:30 p.m. – Southern 7, Jackson State 6
5 p.m. – Belmont 5, Grambling 0

Field Three
12 p.m. – Mississippi Valley State 1, Tennessee-Martin 0
2:30 p.m. – Mississippi Valley State 9, Grambling 4
5 p.m. – Tennessee-Martin 9, Southern 1

Saturday, February 14
Field One
10 a.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Southern
12:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Belmont
3 p.m. – Tennessee-Martin vs. North Dakota State
5:30 p.m. – Belmont vs. North Dakota State

Field Two
10 a.m. – North Dakota State vs. Grambling
12:30 p.m. – Mississippi Valley State vs. Alabama State
3 p.m. – Jackson State vs. Grambling
5:30 p.m. – Jackson State vs. Tennessee-Martin

Field Three
3 p.m. – Southern vs. Alabama State

Sunday, February 15
Field One
10 a.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Tennessee-Martin
12:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Jackson State

Field Two
10 a.m. – Mississippi Valley State vs. Belmont
12:30 p.m. – Mississippi Valley State vs. Southern

Field Three
10 a.m. – Alabama State vs. Grambling