Box Score

HAMMOND – South Alabama pounded out 13 hits on the way to a 10-2 six-inning win over Southeastern Louisiana in non-conference softball action Tuesday night at North Oak Park.

The Lady Lions fell to 17-22 overall with the loss. South Alabama (30-12) bounced back after being swept by Louisiana-Lafayette last weekend.

Senior Tamra Ladnier led Southeastern at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, while junior Trish Bliss hit her first double as a Lady Lion. Senior Katie Duhe and freshman Megan McCollum drove in runs for Southeastern, while sophomore Kelsey Nichols and junior Katie Matthews each scored.

South Alabama got the scoring started against freshman Jessie Browne (6-8) in the top of the second inning. Walks by Carolina Mendoza and Meghan Collins, along with a single by Kamee Vessey loaded the bases with one out. Browne then walked Britany Campbell to force in the game's first run.

Jenny Stevens followed with a two-run single to add to the lead. The last run of the inning came on a single by Haley Richards to put USA up, 7-0.

Southeastern tried to get back into it in the bottom of the second inning. USA starter Morgan Druhan (9-6) issued walks to Katie Duhe, freshman Megan Moore and freshman Hali Westmoreland to load the bases with two outs. However, Druhan forced McCollum to pop out to end the threat.

USA broke the game open with five runs off Lady Lion sophomore Kati Morse in the top of the third inning, sending 10 batters to the plate in the frame. Mendoza singled home the inning's first run, then two more runs came in on a single by Vessey. A double by Collins and a Morse throwing error led to an additional two runs, giving USA a 9-0 lead.

The Lady Lions finally got on the board in the fourth inning. Singles by Matthews and Ladnier put a pair of runners on with one out. One out later, McCollum sliced a shot right out of the reach of Vessey in right, allowing Matthews to score and cut the lead to 9-1.

Southeastern temporarily avoided the mercy rule in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Nichols beat out an infield single. Stevens tried to throw Nichols out at first, but her throw sailed into the right field corner, allowing Nichols to move all the way to third. Katie Duhe then lifted a deep fly to center field that scored Nichols and pulled Southeastern closer at 9-2.

USA got the run back in the sixth off Browne, who had come back in to pitch a scoreless fourth and fifth. Haley Hopkins drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a two-out double by Vessey to make the score 10-2.

A single by Ladnier was all USA reliever Lindsey Croft allowed in the bottom of the sixth inning. Croft forced junior Meghan Gomez to hit into a game-ending double play to close it out.

Southeastern will be back home for a three-game Southland Conference series versus Stephen F. Austin. The series opens with a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Friday and concludes with a 12 p.m. contest on Saturday. Live stats for the series will be available at www.Southland.org.

Friday will also be Little Lions Day at North Oak Park. Kids aged 12 and under get in free and will have the opportunity to join the Lady Lions on the field for the national anthem. Following the game, the young Lions and Lady Lions will have the opportunity to run the bases and get autographs from the Southeastern players.