Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana sophomore Katelyn Thomason was 3-for-5 with an RBI, but a strong pitching effort by Morgan Mikulin and several big innings allowed Sam Houston State to sweep a Southland Conference softball doubleheader from the Lady Lions Saturday evening at North Oak Park.

The losses drop Southeastern to 10-30 overall and 2-19 in league action. Sam Houston State improved to 17-25 overall and 9-13 in Southland play.

In the opener, Sam Houston State took the lead for good with a five-run fourth inning on the way to a 6-2 victory. Thomason and junior Katie Duhe each drove in runs in the loss.

Sam Houston State scored three in the first, five in the third and four in fifth to take a 12-2 win in the nightcap. Junior Tamra Ladnier had two hits for the Lady Lions in the defeat.

The series concludes with a 12 p.m. contest on Sunday. Live stats will be available at www.LionSports.net.

Game 1 – Sam Houston State 6, Southeastern Louisiana 2
The Bearkats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Southeastern senior Catherine Gunther (0-6). Hailey Wiginton drew a leadoff walk and scored on a two-out single by Mikulin to put SHSU on top.

Southeastern came back in its half of the first versus Mikulin (12-17). Consecutive errors by Wiginton put two runners on with one out and Thomason singled home freshman Kelsey Nichols to knot the score. Duhe followed with a perfect bunt down the third base line that scored sophomore Meghan Gomez to give Southeastern the lead.

Gunther pitched out of jams in the second and third before the Bearkats took control in the fourth. A bases loaded single by Amy Brown knotted the score and chased Gunther from the game. Thomason issued three bases loaded walks and a throwing error by senior Amber Freeman allowed another run to come home and give SHSU a 6-2 lead.

Mikulin held Southeastern at bay from that point. The Bearkat starter retired the last 15 batters she faced to earn the complete game victory.

Game Two – Sam Houston State 12, Southeastern Louisiana 2
Sam Houston State got to Lady Lion freshman Kati Morse (2-11) in the top of the first inning. Doubles by Erin Burford and Tomi Garrison led to the frame's first run. Amanda Lindsey drove in two more to put the Bearkats up, 3-0.

Southeastern cut into the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Jordan Logan led off the inning with a walk and scored on a double by Gomez. Duhe followed later in the inning with a flare into left centerfield that plated Gomez and cut the SHSU lead to 3-2.

The Bearkats broke the game open in the third, as Burford led off the inning with a home run over the left field fence. A sacrifice fly by Shelbi Tucker and a three-run triple by Wiginton put SHSU ahead, 8-2.

Any hopes for a Southeastern comeback were dashed in the top of the fifth inning. The Bearkats scored four runs off Lady Lion sophomore Vicki Honeycutt. Amy Brown singled home the inning's first run, another run came in on a wild pitch and Burford capped the scoring with a two-run single.

Mikulin sat the Lady Lions down in order in the fifth inning to enforce the mercy rule.