Southeastern-UTM Box Score
Southeastern-St. Louis Box Score

HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team bounced back from an opening day loss to rally for a pair of two-run victories on day two of the Lion Classic.

In the opener, Southeastern (2-1) took a 4-2 win over defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Tennessee-Martin. Sophomore Kelsey Nichols led the Lady Lions to the win with a 4-for-4 performance that included a home run, a double, two runs batted in and two runs scored. In the circle, freshman Jessie Browne (1-0) bounced back from a tough first inning to pitch a complete game five-hitter, striking out 11 Skyhawks in her collegiate pitching debut.

“We're really pleased with the effort of Jessie in the circle today,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois said of the Zachary native. “What was most impressive is the poise she showed after giving up those two home runs in the first inning. She showed some toughness tonight.”

In the nightcap, Southeastern outlasted St. Louis, 10-8, in a wild affair that saw the two teams combine for 25 hits. Senior Katie Duhe was 3-for-4 and tripled home the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Lady Lions were also fueled by a grand slam from freshman Tori Sheppard. Sheppard, junior Meghan Gomez, junior Katie Matthews and Megan McCollum all had two-hit performances in the win.

“Meghan (Gomez) and Katie (Duhe) are our top returning hitters and we expect them to come through in clutch situations like they did tonight,” Langlois said. “The improvement in our lineup we've made with the additions of newcomers like Tori, Katie (Matthews) and Megan (McCollum) is already obvious.”

In other action on the main field on Saturday, UMKC defeated Southern, 3-1, and St. Louis blanked Nicholls, 3-0. On field two, Jackson State opened the day with a 4-2 victory over UTM. Akron followed with wins over Jackson State (4-3) and Southern (9-8).

The action on field three opened with St. Louis defeating Akron, 11-4. UMKC followed with a 9-6 win over Nicholls and UTM ended the day with a 3-2 win over UMKC.

Southeastern will play a pair of games on Sunday, facing UMKC at 10 a.m. and Southern at 12 p.m.

Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 4, Tennessee-Martin 2
UT Martin jumped to a 2-0 lead off of Brown in the bottom of the first inning. Jordan Garrett and Jenny Bain hit consecutive solo home runs with one out. The next two batters also reached, but Browne bounced back by striking out Alexa Alfaro and Becca Williams to end the inning.

Southeastern cut into the lead in the top of the third inning. Nichols deposited her first home run of the season over the left field fence to pull the Lady Lions within two at 2-1.

UTM threatened in the bottom of the fourth inning, putting a pair on with consecutive walks. However, Browne struck out Leah Taylor to end the inning.

Southeastern jumped on top in the fifth inning. A double by Nichols, a Gomez single and a Matthews walk loaded the bases with two outs. Sheppard then reached on an error that allowed Nichols to score the game-tying run. A wild pitch by Morgan Lewis allowed sophomore Michelle Duhe to score the go-ahead run.

The Lady Lions added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning. McCollum singled with one out and scored on a two-out RBI single by Nichols to push the lead to 4-2.

Browne cruised unscathed through the fifth and sixth innings, but allowed the first two runners to reach in the bottom of the seventh inning. She followed with a strikeout of Taylor and then forced Garrett to fly out to centerfield. Pinch runner Kayla Wade tagged up and moved to third on the fly ball, but it was ruled she left early and she was doubled off for the final out.

Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 10, St. Louis 8
St. Louis jumped out to a 2-0 lead off Southeastern sophomore Kenna Terry in the bottom of the first inning. Kristin Nicoletti led off the frame with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rachel Faletto. Kristain Burger doubled home another run to give the Billikens a two-run edge.

The lead was short-lived, as Southeastern tied the score in the top of the second. Junior Lauren Coniglio led off the inning with a sharp single up the middle and scored on a triple by McCollum. Nichols continued her torrid hitting with a game-tying single that plated McCollum and knotted the score at 2.

St. Louis reclaimed the lead in the fourth inning. An RBI double by Alyson Brand, a run-scoring triple by Faletto and an error by Katie Duhe led to three runs and a 5-2 St. Louis advantage.

Southeastern bounced back again in the top of the fifth inning. Gomez, Katie Duhe and Matthews opened the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. Sheppard followed with a mammoth grand slam over the left field fence to put the Lady Lions ahead, 6-5.

The pendulum swung back in St. Louis' favor in the bottom of the fifth inning. Erin Cejka doubled home the tying run and chased Terry from the game. Southeastern senior reliever Bailey Zievert (1-0) then gave up a two-run double to Brand to put the Billikens back up, 8-6.

Both teams loaded the bases in the sixth inning, but came away with no runs. In the top of the seventh, Michelle Duhe and Nichols drew consecutive walks to open the inning. Gomez then followed with a double into the left centerfield gap that scored Duhe. Katie Duhe, who had her school-record 15-game hitting streak ended in the win over UTM, then ripped a triple into the right field corner, scoring Nichols and Gomez.

Duhe would later come home on a wild pitch by Julian Austin to put the Lady Lions ahead, 10-8. Zievert sat down St. Louis in order in the bottom of the seventh to close out the victory.

2011 Lion Classic Schedule – Feb. 11-13 – Hammond, La. – North Oak Park
Friday, February 11

Field One
St. Louis 1, Southern 0
Akron 5, Southeastern 1

Field Two
UMKC 10, Jackson State 4
Southern 11, Jackson State 7

Field Three
Nicholls vs. Tennessee-Martin, Cancelled

Saturday, February 12

Field One
UMKC 3, Southern 1
St. Louis 3, Nicholls 0
Southeastern 4, Tennessee-Martin 2
Southeastern 10, St. Louis 8

Field Two
Jackson State 4, Tennessee-Martin 2
Akron 4, Jackson State 3
Akron 9, Southern 8

Field Three
St. Louis 11, Akron 4
UMKC 9, Nicholls 6
Tennessee-Martin 3, UMKC 2

Sunday, February 13

Field One
10 a.m. - Southeastern vs. UMKC
12 p.m. - Southeastern vs. Southern

Field Two
10 a.m. - Akron vs. Nicholls
12 p.m. - Jackson State vs. Nicholls

Field Three
10 a.m. - Tennessee-Martin vs. St. Louis