HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team will open its 2010 season this week, with midweek games at in-state rivals Louisiana Tech and Southern.

The Lady Lions had their season-opening tournament games at the ULM Mardi Gras Classic last weekend snowed out. On Tuesday, Southeastern will head to Ruston for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with the Techsters. Live stats will be available via Game Tracker at www.latechsports.com. On Wednesday, the Lady Lions take on Southern at 12 p.m.

Southeastern returns five position starters from last season's team. Lady Lion junior Katie Duhe, a preseason All-Southland selection, hit .303 last season with 14 doubles, four home runs, 19 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Duhe, sophomore Jordan Logan (.264 in 2009) and senior Chelsea Takacs (.263) are the other top returning hitters for average.

Sophomore Meghan Gomez is the team's top returning power threat, hitting eight home runs and driving in 24 runs on the way to earning All-Southland Conference honors as a freshman. Gomez, Duhe, Takacs and sophomore Lauren Coniglio are the team's top returning long ball threats. Newcomers Kelsey Nichols, Casey Simpson and Michelle Duhe are also expected to bolster the Lady Lion offense.

Defensively, Duhe and senior Amber Freeman give Southeastern a solid middle infield. Junior Tamra Ladnier is expected to continue to provide the Lady Lions with the Southland's premier defensive first baseman. Junior Heather Grivas and her steady glove behind the plate could earn her some time at catcher.

Senior Catherine Gunther (9-15, 3.78 ERA) and sophomore Katelyn Thomason (7-11, 3.81 ERA) are the top returning pitchers for what should be the deepest Lady Lion pitching staff in recent memory. Returners Jenna Yoder and Bailey Zievert, as well as four newcomers – Simpson, sophomore Vicki Honeycutt, redshirt freshman Elise Kittrell and freshman Kati Morse – are all expected to see action in the circle.

Louisiana Tech, which will also be opening its 2010 schedule on Tuesday, is led by senior shortstop Amberly Waits. Waits hit .488 last season and hit three of the team's six home runs last season. Ace pitcher Meghan Krieg (20-7, 1.85 ERA in 2009) is also back for the Lady Techsters.

Southeastern is 11-41 all-time versus Louisiana Tech. Last season, the Techsters swept a doubleheader from Southeastern in Hammond by scores of 2-0 and 10-1.

Southern also missed out on the opening weekend action due to snow, as Mother Nature cancelled its games at the Centenary Tournament. Southern, which opens its 2010 season hosting Southern Miss on Tuesday, is led by Preseason SWAC Player of the Year Audrey Phillips who led the nation in triples per game a season ago. The Mansfield, Texas native also led the team in batting average, hits and runs. SU also returns junior outfielder Victoria Stewart who in 41 contests batted .369 and led the team in RBI's.

Southeastern is 24-4 all-time versus Southern. Last season, Southeastern rolled to an 8-0 win over the Jaguars, behind a four-RBI effort from Coniglio and a three-hit complete-game shutout by Gunther. Later in the year, the Lady Lions outlasted the SWAC Tournament runners up, 4-2, in Baton Rouge. That game saw then-senior Heather Sherrill collect three hits and Thomason throw a complete-game three-hitter, striking out four.

The Lady Lions will open their home schedule this weekend, hosting the three-day, six-team Lion Classic at North Oak Park. Southeastern will play Mississippi Valley State at 3 p.m. and Jackson State at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, Southeastern will face Grambling at 1:30 p.m. and St. Louis at 4 p.m. Sunday's lone game will see the Lady Lions face Tennessee-Martin at 10 a.m.