Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics

HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana freshman third baseman Sydney Booker drove in four runs to pace the Lady Lion softball team to a season-opening 10-4 victory over Alcorn State Friday evening at Chappapeela Park.
 
Southeastern (1-0) racked up 13 hits to back up a strong pitching performance by freshman Nicole Ayala. The Torrance, California native entered the game in the first inning and scattered six hits over 6.2 innings of relief, holding Alcorn State (0-2) to one unearned run and striking out four.
 
Booker, senior second baseman Vanessa Eng and senior first baseman Teresa Lemos each collected two hits for SLU. Booker, Lemos and junior centerfielder Katie Lacour, who extended her hitting streak to 12 games, each scored two runs, while sophomore outfielder Sloan Jenkins added two RBI.
 
Southeastern showed a new aggression on the base paths in the season opener. In 2014, the Lady Lions stole five bases as a team all season. Southeastern matched that total in the opening game of 2015, as Lacour swiped three bags, while freshmen Shelby Stewart and Peyton Stokes-Sutton each had a steal.
 
SLU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Lacour led off the game with a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a Stewart ground out and scored on a passed ball.
 
Alcorn State would briefly take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Southeastern reclaimed the lead for good in the top of the second inning. A bases loaded double by Booker plated two runs and the Lady Lions pushed the lead to 5-2 when ASU shortstop Alexandria Harris dropped a pop up by sophomore designated player Mychal Truxillo.
 
The Lady Lions padded their lead in the top of the third inning, Senior shortstop Megan Moore drew a bases loaded walk to extend the SLU advantage to 6-2.
 
Any chance of an Alcorn State comeback was thwarted in the top of the fifth inning, as SLU sent 10 batters to the plate. Booker's second two-run double of the night scored the first two runs of the inning. Later in the frame, Jenkins roped a two-run single into right to give Southeastern a 10-2 lead.
 
Alcorn State was able to scratch across runs in the fifth and seventh innings, but never seriously threatened.
 
Southeastern will continue play at the Lion Classic I on Saturday, facing Nebraska-Omaha at 12:30 p.m. and Tennessee-Martin at 3 p.m.
 
2015 Lion Classic I – February 6-8, 2015 – Chappapeela Park
 
Friday, February 6
Field Six
Game 1 – UT Arlington 10, Alcorn State 1
Game 2 – Southeastern 10, Alcorn State 4
 
Field Seven
Game 1 – Nicholls 15, Southern 0
Game 2 – Nebraska-Omaha 5, Nicholls 1
 
Field Eight
Game 1 – Tennessee-Martin 7, Nebraska-Omaha 3
Game 2 – UT Arlington 8, Tennessee-Martin 0
 
Saturday, February 7
Field Six
Game 3 – Southeastern vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 12:30 p.m.
Game 4 – Southeastern vs. Tennessee-Martin, 3 p.m.
 
Field Seven
Game 3 – UT Arlington vs. Nicholls, 12:30 p.m.
Game 4 – UT Arlington vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 3 p.m.
 
Field Eight
Game 3 – Tennessee-Martin vs. Alcorn State, 12:30 p.m.
Game 4 – Nicholls vs. Alcorn State, 3 p.m.
 
Sunday, February 8
Field Six
Game 5 – Southeastern vs. UT Arlington, 10 a.m.
 
Field Seven
Game 5 – Nicholls vs. Tennessee-Martin, 10 a.m.
 
Field Eight
Game 5 – Nebraska-Omaha vs. Alcorn State, 10 a.m.
 
Team listed first will occupy first base dugout
Home teams in bold