Box Score

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 pitcher's duel versus South Alabama in its final non-conference home game of the season on Wednesday night at North Oak Park.

The Lady Lions fell to 18-28 overall with the tough loss. South Alabama improved to 25-22-1 on the year with the win.

A fifth-inning double by junior Chelsea Takacs was the lone hit Southeastern could manage against USA ace Beth Pilgrim (15-10). Pilgrim struck out seven and walked three in an efficient complete-game effort.

Lady Lion junior starter Catherine Gunther (8-13) was nearly as good in the circle for Southeastern. The McLouth, Kan. native held the Jaguars to five hits in a complete-game performance. Senior Allyson McCubbins drew two walks for the Lady Lions, giving her a single-season school record 30 walks on the year.

South Alabama scored the only run it needed in the top of the first inning. Christin Crocker led off the game with an infield single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Katie McGuire and scored on a single to centerfield by Tara Donaldson.

The Jaguars were poised to add to their lead in the top of the fourth. Donaldson hit a liner to left field that freshman Meghan Gomez lost in the sun, allowing Donaldson to reach with a double. Carolina Mendoza followed with a single to put runners at the corners with one out.

After Gunther struck out Corey Race, she hit Kait Chernomaz to load the bases. Gunther then forced Marissa Boyd to hit a slow grounder to junior second baseman Amber Freeman, who stepped on second to force Chernomaz and keep Southeastern within one.

Walks issued to Gomez and McCubbins were the only base runners Pilgrim allowed until the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Takacs lined a double just out of the reach of a charging Chernomaz to give Southeastern its first runner in scoring position. After Freeman sacrificed Takacs to third, Pilgrim struck out sophomore Tamra Ladnier to maintain a 1-0 edge.

Southeastern mounted one last threat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman Jordan Logan reached on an error to lead off the frame and promptly advanced to second on an illegal pitch. Sophomore Katie Duhe then hit a shot that appeared destined for an extra-base hit, but Chernomaz made a spectacular diving catch to rob the Lady Lion shortstop of a game-tying RBI.

Logan moved to third on Chernomaz's grab. After striking out senior Heather Sherrill, Pilgrim issued a walk to McCubbins to put runners at the corners. However, Pilgrim maintained the shutout by forcing Gomez to pop out to end the inning.

Sophomore Kelly Lyman nearly tied the game on the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh inning. Her long fly took Kelsy Donaldson to the left field fence, but the USA left fielder was able to make the catch. Pilgrim forced Freeman and Ladnier to foul out to end the game.

The Lady Lions will be back in action this weekend, hitting the road for a three-game series at Southland Conference rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The series opens with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and concludes with a 12 p.m. contest on Sunday.