Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team combined for 25 hits and 15 runs scored in a doubleheader sweep of Alcorn State in non-conference action Thursday afternoon at the ASU Softball Complex.

The wins extended Southeastern's current win streak to four games and improved the Lady Lions' overall record to 9-21. Alcorn State fell to 13-19 overall with the two losses.

In the opener, Southeastern freshman Kelsey Nichols finished 4-for-5 and the Lady Lions finished with a season-high 15 hits in a 7-1 victory. Sophomore Katelyn Thomason and junior Tamra Ladnier added three hits apiece for the Lady Lions. In the circle, Thomason (4-7) struck out five and scattered five hits in a complete game victory.

Sophomore Meghan Gomez homered and drove in three runs as Southeastern rallied for an 8-7 victory in the nightcap. Thomason, junior Katie Duhe and sophomore Jordan Logan scored two runs apiece in the win for Southeastern. Junior Bailey Zievert (2-0) took the win in the circle for the Lady Lions, while senior Catherine Gunther scattered three hits in three innings of relief to earn her first career save.

The Lady Lions will be back in action this weekend, hosting Northwestern State for a three-game series at North Oak Park. The series opens with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and concludes with a 12 p.m. contest on Sunday.

Game 1 – Southeastern Louisiana 7, Alcorn State 1
Southeastern stranded four runners in the first two innings before breaking a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning off of ASU starter Deanna Rancillio (4-5). Nichols opened the inning with an infield single. Gomez followed with a sacrifice bunt intended to move Nichols over to second. However, Rancillio's throw to first sailed into the right field corner, allowing Gomez to move to second and Nichols to come around for the first run of the game.

Gomez would advance to third on a single by Thomason and score on a sacrifice fly by Duhe. Consecutive singles by senior Chelsea Takacs and Ladnier plated another run. Ladnier would later score when senior Amber Freeman reached on a fielder's choice to push the lead to 4-0.

Thomason struck out the side in the first and took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. A flare by Jasmine Hall with one out in the fourth was the first Alcorn hit and Hall advanced to third on a wild pitch and passed ball. Thomason preserved the shutout by retiring Bianca Armstrong and Rayanna Davis to keep the lead at 4-0.

Southeastern added to its lead in the top of the fifth inning. Singles by Logan and sophomore Lauren Coniglio put runners at first and third with one out. Nichols then drove home Logan with an infield hit to put Southeastern up, 5-0. A two-out single by Armstrong in the bottom of the sixth inning spoiled Thomason's shutout bid and cut the lead to 5-1.

Southeastern put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh inning. Ladnier lead off the frame with a single and Coniglio immediately followed with an RBI double. Coniglio would later score on an RBI infield single by Nichols to make the score 7-1.

A Southeastern error and a single by Brittanee Crayton put runners at first and second with one out in the seventh inning. Thomason stranded both runners by retiring Jasmine Hubbard and Rachel Morris to close out the game.

Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 8, Alcorn State 7
Southeastern jumped out in front in the top of the first inning. Logan led off the inning with a single, which Nichols followed with a bunt single. ASU catcher Chelsie Dahlbeck tried to throw out Nichols, but her throw was wide of first, allowing Logan to score and Nichols to advance all the way to third. Gomez then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that scored Nichols and put the Lady Lions on top, 2-0.

The Lady Lions padded their lead in the top of the third inning with a two-out rally. Consecutive singles by Thomason and Duhe put runners at the corners. Duhe then stole second and Dahlbeck's throw down sailed into centerfield, allowing both runners to score and pushing the Southeastern advantage to 4-0.

Southeastern freshman Elise Kittrell was cruising until Alcorn State got on track in the fourth inning. A bloop double by Hall with one out started a run of four consecutive hits by the Lady Braves that chased Kittrell from the game and cut the Southeastern lead in half. Zievert retired the first batter she faced before walking Christine Garcia to load the bases. Hubbard then cleared the bases with a triple to the left field fence to give the Lady Braves the lead. Hubbard would then score on a bunt single by Shawna Bruton to put ASU up, 6-4.

The Lady Lions answered in the top of the fifth inning. Gomez opened the inning with a towering home run over the centerfield fence to cut the lead to 6-5. A single by Thomason chased ASU starter Amy Blakeney. Duhe greeted Lady Brave reliever Jennie Hatch (6-12) with a single, then Hatch forced Takacs to hit a grounder to third, but Garcia's throw was off the mark, allowing Thomason to score the tying run. Coniglio then lifted a fly deep enough to center to score Duhe and put the Lady Lions up for good, 7-6.

The Lady Lions added to their advantage in the top of the seventh. Logan reached on a two-base error by Garcia to open the inning, advanced to third on a Nichols ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Gomez to put Southeastern on top, 8-6.

Gunther had cruised through the fifth and sixth, before running into some trouble in the bottom of the seventh inning. Consecutive singles to open the inning and a wild pitch but the tying runs at second and third with no outs. Gunther then struck out Hall, but Hatch followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to one. With the winning run at the plate, Gunther forced Harrington to pop out to left to complete the sweep.