HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team will welcome seven teams to North Oak Park this week, opening the 2013 season with the Jimmy John's Lion Classic I, which runs Friday through Sunday.
 
The Lady Lions will open tournament play against Delaware on Friday at 3 p.m., before facing Tennessee-Martin at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday, Southeastern faces St. Louis at 12:30 p.m. and Southern at 3 p.m. Jacksonville State will meet Southeastern on Sunday in the tournament's 12 p.m. finale. Nicholls State and Louisiana Tech will also participate in the tournament.
 
Live stats for all the games on Field One will be available at LionSports.net. Field One games will also be streamed live via LionVision (subscription required).
 
Southeastern returns six starters from last season's squad. In the infield, junior second baseman Megan McCollum, a preseason All-Southland Conference choice, and senior shortstop Kayla Elswick are back to give the Lady Lions a strong middle infield.
 
Sophomore Megan Moore, who missed 2012 with an injury, is back to man third base, while junior Tori Sheppard will start at first base. Freshman Amber Sather will also see action at first base, while also serving as the designated player. Senior Katie Doyle, sophomore Hali Westmoreland and junior Caitlyn Fowler will all split time behind the plate.
 
Senior centerfielder Michelle Duhe, a preseason All-Southland Conference choice, returns to anchor the outfield. Senior Kelsey Nichols, a 2011 All-Southland pick, also returns in the outfield. Junior Logane Fuselier and freshman Katie Lacour are among several newcomers expected to see action in the outfield.
 
The Lady Lions feature perhaps their deepest pitching staff in recent memory. Senior Kenna Terry, the staff ace, returns as does senior Kati Morse and junior Jessie Browne. Southeastern's performance in the circle is expected to be buoyed by the additions of junior Rachael Hellyer and freshman Taylor Bishop.
 
Southeastern will open the season with 10 consecutive home games. Next week, the Lady Lions will host eight teams for the Jimmy John's Lion Classic II at North Oak Park. The tournament opens with a 5:30 p.m. game on Thursday between the Lady Lions and UMBC and runs through Sunday. Live stats for all the games on Field One will be available at LionSports.net. Field One games on Thursday, Friday and Sunday will also be streamed live via LionVision (subscription required).
 
Jimmy John's Lion Classic I – Feb. 8-10 – Hammond, La. – North Oak Park
 
Friday, Feb. 8
Field One
12:30 p.m. – St. Louis vs. Jacksonville State
3 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Delaware
5:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Tennessee-Martin
Field Two
12:30 p.m. – Southern vs. Nicholls State
3 p.m. – Nicholls State vs. St. Louis
5:30 p.m. – Delaware vs. Southern
Field Three
3 p.m. – Louisiana Tech vs. Tennessee-Martin
5:30 p.m. – Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana Tech
 
Saturday, Feb. 9
Field One
10 a.m. – Southern vs. Jacksonville State
12:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. St. Louis
3 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Southern
Field Two
10 a.m. – Tennessee-Martin vs. St. Louis
12:30 p.m. – Tennessee-Martin vs. Delaware
3 p.m. – Delaware vs. Louisiana Tech
Field Three
12:30 p.m. – Louisiana Tech vs. Nicholls State
3 p.m. – Nicholls State vs. Jacksonville State
 
Sunday, Feb. 10
Field One
10 a.m. – Nicholls State vs. Delaware
12 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Jacksonville State
Field Two
10 a.m. – Southern vs. Tennessee-Martin
Field Three
10 a.m. – St. Louis vs. Louisiana Tech
 
Home teams listed first