Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

HAMMOND – It's safe to say that Saturday will be a day no member of the Southeastern Louisiana softball program will ever forget.

The Lady Lions (11-14) picked up a sweep over in-state rival Louisiana Tech (8-21) with a pair of dramatic one-run victories in non-conference action at North Oak Park.

In the nightcap, freshman Megan McCollum singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Lady Lions a 3-2 extra-inning victory. Freshman Jessie Browne (5-4) was dominant in the circle for Southeastern, going the distance and allowing just one hit for the second straight start.

The Lady Lions rallied from behind for a 3-2 win in the opener. Junior Kelsey Nichols ripped a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to provide Southeastern with the winning runs. After allowing two runs in the opening inning, sophomore Kati Morse (2-4) made the lead stand up, allowing six hits and striking out three in a complete-game victory.

While the wins allowed Southeastern to match its season win total from a season ago, the biggest news of the day came between games of Saturday's doubleheader. Before the Lady Lions took the field for the second game, Southeastern senior Katie Duhe's longtime boyfriend David Isbell strode to home plate, grabbed the microphone and asked for the Lutcher native's hand in marriage. Duhe, one of the most productive hitters in school history, readily accepted to the delight of her teammates and the North Oak Park crowd.

“Today was a really special day for our program,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois commented. “Katie's been a four-year starter here and has represented our program well on the field and in the classroom. We're proud of her and happy for her and David.

“As far as the games go, hopefully these two wins will give us some momentum heading forward,” Langlois added. “We're extremely pleased with the pitching performances of both Jessie and Kati. Both of them pitched probably their best games of the season thus far. We're also very proud of the clutch hitting from Kelsey, Megan, Tamra Ladnier and Katie Matthews.”

Duhe was still ecstatic following the doubleheader. Isbell had set up the proposal with Southeastern Athletics officials as a surprise for Duhe. Suffice to say, the secret was successfully kept from the Lady Lion shortstop.

“When David got on the mike, I realized what was happening,” Duhe said. “I'm still in shock.”

The Lady Lions will be back in action on Wednesday, traveling to Mississippi Valley State for a 3 p.m. contest in Itta Bena, Miss.

Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 3, Louisiana Tech 2
Louisiana Tech got to Morse in the top of the first inning. Kendra Harmon led off the game with a single and eventually moved to third on a wild pitch and a one-out single by Janna Frandrup. Later in the inning, Meghan Knowles singled both runners home to give the Techsters a 2-0 lead.

Southeastern had base runners in three of the first four innings, but could not get to Louisiana Tech pitcher Meghan Krieg (4-11) until the bottom of the fifth inning. Krieg hit junior Trish Bliss with one out in the inning and McCollum followed with a walk to put a pair of runners on.

After Krieg retired sophomore Michelle Duhe, Nichols fell behind 0-2. The Alvin, Texas then lined a shot over the left field fence, giving Southeastern a 3-2 advantage with her team-high third home run of the season.

Louisiana Tech threatened in the sixth inning, as Christina Gamboa walked and Michelle Jones singled to put a pair of runners on. However, Morse forced Harmon to pop out to end the inning. The Ponchatoula native sat down the Techsters in order in the seventh to preserve the win.

Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 3, Louisiana Tech 2 (9 Innings)
Louisiana Tech mounted the game's first threat in the top of the third inning. A walk, wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt put Charday Wilson on third with one out. Harmon then hit a grounder to McCollum at second. McCollum threw Harmon out at first and Ladnier gunned a streaking Wilson out at home to end the inning.

The Lady Lions also threatened in their half of the third. A Michelle Duhe walk, followed by singles by Nichols and Matthews loaded the bases with two outs. However, Louisiana Tech's Erin Kipp (1-5) retired junior Meghan Gomez to keep the game scoreless.

Browne and Kipp matched zeroes until Heather Doiron was placed on second to start the eighth as the international tiebreaker rule was put in effect. Doiron would eventually come home after a passed ball and a wild pitch to put Louisiana Tech up, 1-0.

Southeastern prolonged the game with a run in the eighth. Michelle Duhe was placed on second to open the inning and scored on a two-out single by Matthews. Louisiana Tech jumped back on top in the ninth, as Jones was placed on second and scored on an RBI groundout by Frandrup.

Southeastern ended it in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior Jordan Logan started the inning on second and scored on a one-out single by Ladnier. After freshman Tori Sheppard drew a one-out walk to put a pair of runners on, McCollum lined a shot right up the middle. Freshman Aly Williams, who was pinch running for Ladnier, slid in with the winning run, as the throw home skipped under the glove of Tricia Van Winkle.