Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team broke into the win column in Southland Conference play on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with league foe UTSA at North Oak Park.

After a tough loss in the opener, Southeastern (10-16, 1-10 SLC) earned a 2-1 victory in the nightcap. Freshman Katelyn Thomason (3-2) hurled a complete-game one-hitter for the Lady Lions, dropping UTSA to 13-13 overall and 8-6 in league action.

The win was not only the Lady Lions first in conference play, but also snapped UTSA's 17-game winning streak over Southeastern. Saturday's victory was the Lady Lions' first over the Roadrunners since the 2003 season.

In the opener, UTSA shortstop Kelly Cato broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh inning with a two-out, two-run single to give the Roadrunners a 3-1 win. Southeastern junior Catherine Gunther (3-8) was the hard luck loser for the Lady Lions, holding UTSA to six hits in a complete-game effort. UTSA pitcher Emily Humpal (7-6) held Southeastern to one hit in a complete-game effort.

“Today's effort was a better representation of what we're capable of than what we've shown so far in Southland Conference play,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois commented. “The difference today was that we had two really nice pitching efforts from Katelyn and Cat and also played solid defense behind them. Hopefully, we can build on this and continue to perform at the level we're capable of.”

The rubber game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 12 p.m.

Game One – UTSA 3, Southeastern Louisiana 1
Gunther sat down the first six batters of the game before UTSA got going offensively in the top of the third inning. Humpal drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a single by Cassie Miller, before Gunther loaded the bases with a walk to Cato. Rudi Cantu followed with an RBI single to score Humpal.

Gunther kept the game in reach, however, retiring Ashley Kappler then forcing Amber Anderson to ground into an inning-ending double play to keep the UTSA lead to 1-0.

After allowing two base runners in the bottom of the first, Humpal retired 12 batters in a row before allowing a one-out walk to senior Allyson McCubbins in the bottom of the fifth inning. Freshman Lauren Coniglio then grounded into a fielder's choice, giving Southeastern a runner at first with two outs.

Junior Amber Freeman then hit a slow roller to Cato. Cato rushed her throw to first and the ball sailed down the right field line, allowing Coniglio to score all the way from first and tie the score at 1.

After retiring UTSA in order in the sixth, Gunther gave up a one-out single to Krista Sitka, followed by a double to Humpal to put runners at second and third with one out. After forcing Miller to ground out, Gunther gave up the eventual game-winning hit to Cato, who singled through the middle to put the Roadrunners up, 3-1.

Humpal made the lead stand up, retiring Southeastern in order in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 2, UTSA 1
UTSA was the first to threaten in the top of the second. Leanne Risberg drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a two-out error by Lady Lion sophomore Katie Duhe. Thomason then hit Kristin Wehmeyer with a pitch to load the bases. However, the Spring, Texas native pitched out of the jam, forcing Cato to fly out to end the threat.

Southeastern took the lead off UTSA starter Danye' Holmes (5-5) in the bottom of the second inning. Holmes hit Duhe to open the inning and McCubbins bunted Duhe over to second. Sophomore Kelly Lyman then beat out a grounder deep in the hole at short. Sitka attempted to throw out Duhe at third, but her throw was off the mark, allowing Duhe to score the go-ahead run.

UTSA evened the score in the third inning. Cantu led off the inning with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Kappler and scored on a sacrifice fly by Anderson to knot the score at 1.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Southeastern broke through in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Jordan Logan opened the inning with an infield single. After Holmes struck out sophomore Tamra Ladnier and senior Heather Sherrill, Logan stole second and Wehmeyer's throw sailed into centerfield, allowing Logan to advance to third. Freshman Meghan Gomez then hit a sharp single off Cato's glove to score Logan and put Southeastern up, 2-1.

UTSA mounted its last threat in the top of the fourth inning. Sitka and Kristin Kappler drew consecutive one-out walks to put runners at first and second. Thomason calmly struck out Wehmeyer and Cato to maintain the Lady Lion advantage.

Thomason was dominant for the remainder of the contest, allowing only a two-out walk to Sitka in the sixth the rest of the way. Thomason retired the Roadrunners in order in the top of the seventh to secure the win.