Box Score


                 
NATCHITOCHES – A 5-1 loss to Sam Houston State in the 2013 Southland Conference Softball Tournament ended a record-breaking season for Southeastern Louisiana Friday night at the Lady Demon Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Lions finished the season with a 32-22 record, setting new single-season program standards for victories and winning percentage. Southeastern's 3-1 win earlier in the day that sent top-seeded McNeese State out of the tournament was the program's first postseason victory since 2002. The Lady Lions also more than doubled last season's win total.
 
Playing in the final games of their career, the six members of the Southeastern senior class all saw action in Friday's defeat. Outfielders Michelle Duhe (2-for-4, 1 run) and Kelsey Nichols (1-for-4, 1 RBI) keyed a nine-hit Southeastern attack, while pitchers Kati Morse and Kenna Terry combined to hold the Bearkats to six hits. Southeastern's 9-6 hit advantage was negated by the Lady Lions leaving 10 runners on base.
 
Several of Southeastern's future leaders also contributed at the plate, as junior second baseman Megan McCollum (2-for-3), junior designated player Jessie Browne (2-for-3), freshman designated player Amber Sather (1-for-3) and freshman outfielder Katie Lacour (1-for-2) all played their parts in Southeastern's attack.
 
“We're really proud of what we accomplished this week and we feel like it is the first step towards our program's goal of winning a conference championship,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois said. “We'll miss our six seniors and are indebted to them for their efforts in turning our program around. This was important part of the process for our young players that are coming back to get a taste of postseason play.”
 
Sam Houston State took a 2-0 lead versus Browne (1-2) in the bottom of the first inning. Senior centerfielder Tori Benavidez led off the game with a triple off the centerfield fence, then scored on an RBI single by junior second baseman Alyssa Coggins. Coggins would later score on an RBI groundout by sophomore designated player Hillary Adams.
 
The Bearkats added three runs in the second and fourth innings, taking advantage of three wild pitches and a passed ball. Southeastern put base runners on in the first four innings, but could not push anything across, stranding four in the first four frames.
 
Southeastern was able to break through in the top of the fifth inning with a two-out rally. Duhe, Lacour and Sather all singled to load the bases, then Nichols lined a single to centerfield to plate Duhe. Sophomore Haley Baros (10-8) was then able to force Moore to line out to SHSU freshman shortstop Tiffany Castillo, who robbed Moore of a hit with a nice running catch.
 
Southeastern mounted one last threat in the top of the sixth inning, as McCollum and Browne chased Baros from the game with consecutive singles to open the frame. One out later, senior shortstop Kayla Elswick drew a walk to load the bases. However, sophomore reliever Meme Quinn fanned Duhe and junior pinch hitter Tori Sheppard to end the Southeastern threat. Quinn retired Southeastern in order in the seventh inning to end the contest.
 
In addition to the victories and winning percentage, Southeastern also set single-season team records for fielding percentage (.965), walks (156), hit by pitch (40) and sacrifice flies (18). Nichols finished as the single-season record holder with six sacrifice flies, while McCollum was hit by a school record 13 pitches.
 
Sather and Duhe fell just short of setting new school standards. Sather's 31 walks were the second most in a school history, while Duhe's totals of 39 runs (2^nd) and 61 hits (3^rd) were among the best ever by a Lady Lion.
 
2013 Southland Conference Tournament – Natchitoches, La. – Lady Demon Softball Complex
 
Thursday, May 9
Game 1 – No. 4 Central Arkansas 3, No. 5 Lamar 0
Game 2 – No. 3 Sam Houston State 9, No. 6 Southeastern Louisiana 6
Game 3 – Central Arkansas 1, No. 1 McNeese State 0 (9 Innings)
Game 4 – No. 2 Northwestern State 1, Sam Houston State 0#
 
Friday, May 10
Game 5 – Southeastern Louisiana 3, McNeese State 1 (McNeese eliminated)
Game 6 – Sam Houston State 8, Lamar 4 (Lamar eliminated)
Game 7 – Northwestern State 5, Central Arkansas 2
Game 8 – Sam Houston State 5, Southeastern Louisiana 1 (Southeastern eliminated)
 
Saturday, May 11
Game 9 – Sam Houston State vs. Central Arkansas – 10:30 a.m.
Game 10 – Winner Game 9 vs. Northwestern State – 2:05 p.m. (ESPN 3)*
 
* - A second game will be played between the teams in Game 10 to determine the champion if it is the first loss for the losing team
# - Game was halted by rain Thursday night and finished Friday morning