Box Score

HAMMOND – A three-run fourth inning put Southeastern Louisiana up for good and sent the Lady Lions past Alcorn State, 5-2, in non-conference softball action Saturday afternoon at North Oak Park.

The Lady Lions snapped a four-game losing streak with the win, improving to 5-7 overall. Alcorn State lost for the third straight time, falling to 5-3 on the year.

Sophomore outfielder Kelsey Nichols was 4-for-4 with two runs batted in to fuel a nine-hit Lady Lion attack. Sophomore Kati Morse (1-3) went the distance in the circle for Southeastern, scattering six hits and striking out five for her first win of 2011.

“We had a total team effort today, where everyone did a good job of doing their part to help us win,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois commented. “Whether it was Lauren Coniglio laying down a perfect bunt, Heather Grivas running down a wild pitch and throwing out their runner at home or Jordan Logan hustling home to score the go-ahead run, everyone understood their role. We're going to need to keep that same attitude if we want to be successful.”

The Lady Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first off ASU starter Kasey Duncan (2-2). Consecutive singles by sophomore Michelle Duhe and Nichols put runners at the corners to open the game. ASU freshman catcher Taiesha Young then tried to throw Nichols out trying to steal, but her throw sailed into centerfield, allowing Duhe to walk in for the game's first run.

Alcorn State took the lead in the second inning, as junior Barbara White singled home the tying run and another run came home on an error by Lady Lion junior right fielder Katie Matthews. ASU loaded the bases later in the inning, but Morse forced senior Jasmine Hubbard to pop out to keep the Alcorn lead at one.

Alcorn State looked to add to its lead in the third, after Jasmine Hall reached second on a throwing error by Southeastern freshman shortstop Aly Williams. After Hall was bunted over to third, Morse uncorcked a wild pitch. However, Grivas grabbed it and threw Hall out trying to score from third to end the ASU threat.

Freshman Megan McCollum drew a leadoff walk to start the fourth inning and was bunted over to second by freshman Megan Moore. Freshman Jessie Browne then singled to put runners at corners. Coniglio then executed a perfect squeeze bunt, allowing McCollum to slide in with the tying run.

Duhe then grounded out to second, allowing Logan, who was pinch running for Browne, to slide in for a 3-2 lead. Nichols followed with a double into the right centerfield gap to push Southeastern's edge to 5-2.

The Lady Lions added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Grivas led off the inning with a bunt single and scored on a Nichols single to give Southeastern a 5-2 advantage.

Morse was cruising, sitting down 11 batters in a row, before allowing two base runners in the top of the seventh inning. The two runners would be stranded, as the Ponchatoula native forced Hubbard to hit a comebacker to the circle and then struck out Hall to close out the win.

Southeastern will be back in action on Sunday, hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a 12 p.m. doubleheader.