Box Score

                
NATCHITOCHES – Southeastern Louisiana freshman pitcher Taylor Bishop pitched 5.1 innings of shutout relief to help the Lady Lions stay alive in the Southland Conference Softball Tournament Friday afternoon at the Lady Demon Softball Complex.
 
Southeastern (32-21) was led by senior outfielder Kelsey Nichols and senior shortstop Kayla Elswick, who had three hits apiece. The Lady Lions set a new single-season school record for victories and picked up th, as sophomore third baseman Megan Moore drove in a run and freshman first baseman Amber Sather collected two hits. Bishop improved to 8-9 with her effort, holding Southland regular season champion McNeese State (38-15) to three hits and striking out two.
 
The Lady Lions will play Friday's final game versus the winner of Sam Houston State and Lamar at approximately 7:30 p.m. Live stats, audio and video provided by the Southland Conference will be accessible at LionSports.net.
 
“I'm really proud of this group and how they fought today,” Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois commented. “Taylor and Jessie combined to do the job in the circle, while Kelsey, Amber, Kayla and Megan all came up big for us at the plate. This was a great effort to be able to eliminate a talented McNeese State team.”
 
After junior Jessie Browne set the Cowgirls down in order in the top of the first inning, Southeastern used a two-out rally to take the lead in the bottom of the frame. Sather drew a walk, then Nichols roped her team-high 14^th double of the season down the right field line, plating Sather from first. Moore followed with a single off the right centerfield fence to score Nichols and give the Lady Lions a 2-0 lead.
 
McNeese State cut into the lead in the top of the second inning, loading the bases with two outs on a single, a hit batter and a walk. Browne then hit freshman second baseman Taylor Goree to force in a run and gave way to Bishop. Bishop got out of the inning by forcing McNeese State junior outfielder Alanna DiVittorio to pop out to end the frame with the Lady Lions ahead, 2-1.
 
Southeastern left five runners on in the second and third innings before adding an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Elswick singled, freshman outfielder Katie Lacour walked and Sather singled to load the bases. Nichols then lined a single through the right side to plate Elswick and give Southeastern a 3-1 lead.
 
Bishop would allow McNeese State to put runners on in the fourth, fifth and sixth, but strong defensive play helped the Lady Lions keep the Cowgirls off the board. Elswick made a nice running grab in shallow center to end the fourth and Lacour caught a ball deep on the warning track in right for the final out of the fifth. In the sixth, junior pinch hitter Stacey Conley lined a shot towards the left centerfield gap that Nichols was able to run down to keep the lead at two.
 
Bishop would need no such help in the top of the seventh inning. She forced junior pinch hitter Victoria Rich to fly out to center, struck out DiVittorio and then sophomore left fielder Lauren Langner grounded out to Sather for the final out.
 
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
Game 6 – Lamar vs. Sam Houston State – 2:30 p.m.
Game 7 – Central Arkansas vs. Northwestern State – 5 p.m.
Game 8 – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Winner Game 6 – 7:30 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 11
Game 9 – Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7 – 10:30 a.m.
Game 10 – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 7 – 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
 
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