MOBILE, Ala. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team lost a pair of games on day two of the 2011 South Alabama Mardi Gras Classic Saturday at Jaguar Field.

In the nightcap, Southeastern (4-5) saw its upset bid of Ohio State (3-5) fall just short in a 4-3 loss. Freshman Megan McCollum led the Lady Lions in the loss, going 2-for-3, including her first home run as a Lady Lion. However, Southeastern left the bases loaded without scoring in the fifth and sixth innings, finishing with 12 left on base for the game.

In the opener, Southeastern fell to Evansville, 10-3. Junior Meghan Gomez, freshman Tori Sheppard and junior Katie Matthews all hit solo home runs for the Lady Lions, but Evansville (1-2) took advantage of nine walks and four Lady Lion errors to earn the win.

“We just made too many mental mistakes against Evansville,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois said. “We were very pleased to be able to come back in the afternoon and play well against a very good Ohio State team. We continue to be excited about the production our newcomers are giving us at the plate to go with consistent performances from veterans like Meghan (Gomez) and Michelle (Duhe). Once (injured starter and preseason first team All-Southland selection) Katie Duhe gets back and we're going to be really dangerous at the plate.”

Southeastern will close tournament play on Sunday with a pair of games. The Lady Lions will face Chattanooga at 12:15 p.m. and host South Alabama at 2:30 p.m. Live stats from Saturday's games will be available at www.usajaguars.com.

Game One – Evansville 10, Southeastern Louisiana 3
Evansville jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Southeastern freshman Jessie Browne (2-1). Browne had problems with her control in the opening frame, walking six and allowing a two-run double to Jen Stahlhut to take the early advantage.

The Lady Lions cut into the lead in the bottom of the second inning. Matthews led off the inning with her first home run as a Lady Lion to pull Southeastern to within, 3-1.

In the fourth inning, Evansville padded their lead thanks to a pair of throwing errors by Southeastern freshman Aly Williams allowing two runs to score. Sheppard lessened the margin in the bottom of the fourth with her second home run of the season shrinking the Purple Aces' lead to 5-2.

Evansville added a run in the fifth and put the game away with a four-run sixth inning. RBI doubles by Amy Gaertner and Alicia Betancur, followed by a two-run Stahlhut single pushed the lead to 10-2.

The Lady Lions were able to avoid the mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Gomez powered her second home run of the year over the centerfield fence. Evansville starter Emily Morris would hold Southeastern in check for the rest of the game, finishing with a complete game win.

UE – 300 214 0 – 10 8 0 (1-2)
SLU – 010 101 0 – 3 7 4 (4-4)
Morris and Malone. Browne, Honeycutt (2), Moore (6) and Westmoreland. W – Morris. L – Browne (2-1). HR – SLU: Gomez, Sheppard, Matthews. 2B – UE: Sears, Betancur, Gaertner, Stahlhut. T – 2:05. A – n/a.

Game Two – Ohio State 4, Southeastern Louisiana 3
The speed of Dee Dee Hillman gave Ohio State a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Hillman led off the inning with a single off Southeastern sophomore Kati Morse (0-3) and advanced to second on a ground out. After moving over to third on a wild pitch, Hillman stole home to give the Buckeyes the early advantage.

The Lady Lions knotted the score in their half of the second. With one out, McCollum ripped a pitch over the left centerfield fence to pull the Lady Lions even.

OSU took the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning with a two-out rally. Melissa Rennie kept the inning alive with a single and Melaina Saalfeld followed with a two-run home run to put OSU up, 3-1.

Southeastern mounted a threat in the top of the fifth inning. Kasie Kelly (2-1) hit senior Heather Grivas and sophomore Michelle Duhe to open the inning. Two outs later, Matthews drew a walk to load the bases, but Kelly retired Sheppard to end the threat.

A two-out RBI single by Leesa Greshman gave OSU a 4-1 lead after five innings. In the top of the sixth inning, Southeastern again threatened. McCollum singled, Williams reached on an error and Browne drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Kelly once again pitched out of a jam, retiring Michelle Duhe and junior Kelsey Nichols to keep Southeastern down by three.

Southeastern wouldn't go down easy in its half of the seventh. A Gomez single and a Matthews walk followed by a passed ball put runners at second and third with no outs. Gomez would come home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Sheppard.

After McCollum drew a walk, junior Trish Bliss singled home Matthews to pull the Lady Lions within one. However, Kelly left the winning runs sitting on base, retiring Williams and freshman Megan Moore to end the game.

SLU – 010 000 2 – 3 6 0 (4-5)
OSU – 120 010 x – 4 11 2 (3-5)
Morse and Gomez, Grivas (4), Gomez (6). Kelly and Rennie. W – Kelly (2-1). L – Morse (0-3). HR – SLU: McCollum, OSU: Saalfeld. 2B – SLU: Nichols. T – 2:00. A – n/a.