HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team dropped a pair of Southland Conference contests to league foe McNeese State on Sunday afternoon at North Oak Park.
McNeese State (29-18, 15-5 Southland) took advantage of nine SLU errors to complete season sweep. The Lady Lions fell to 19-23 overall and 13-7 in league play.
In the opener, McNeese State took a 9-3 victory. In the loss, Southeastern senior third baseman
Megan Moore hit her fourth home run of the season, while freshman shortstop
Sydney Booker was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Junior outfielder
Katie Lacour had two hits for the Lady Lions and scored her 93
rd career run, tying the school's career record held by Katherine Watts (1996-99).
MSU rallied for a 10-6 victory in the nightcap. Lacour and Booker had two hits apiece for the Lady Lions, while junior designated player
Amber Sather had an RBI double for the Lady Lions.
Southeastern will be back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Southern for a 3 p.m. doubleheader in Baton Rouge. Fans can receive updates by following Southeastern Athletics on Twitter at @sluathletics.
Game One – McNeese State 9, Southeastern Louisiana 3McNeese State jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning against SLU senior
Tori Stamper (2-5). Freshman third baseman Bryanna Castro, junior pitcher Emily Vincent and freshman designated player Morgan Catron each drove in runs to give the Cowgirls a 3-0 lead.
Southeastern cut into the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lacour drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI triple by Nichols. Nichols would later score on an RBI single by Booker to cut the lead to 3-2.
MSU added to its lead in the top of the third inning. Castro executed a squeeze bunt to force in a run, before another run came in on a throwing error by Booker to give the Cowgirls a 5-2 lead.
SLU answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Moore lined a home run over the left field fence to cut the lead to 5-3.
Southeastern would get no closer, however. The Cowgirls added three runs in the top of the fourth inning, then an insurance run in the seventh. Meanwhile, MSU freshman Jolie Trahan (2-0) held the Lady Lions scoreless for the final four innings.
Game Two – McNeese State 10, Southeastern Louisiana 6MSU took advantage of an SLU error to take a 2-0 lead without the benefit of the hit in the top of the second inning.
Southeastern took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Singles by freshman catcher
Carlie Whittington and Nichols put a pair of runners on, then Booker singled home Whittington. After Sather was hit to load the bases, Moore drew a walk and senior second baseman
Vanessa Eng was hit to force in two runs and give SLU a 3-2 lead.
The Lady Lions' lead was short-lived, as a pair of errors allowed McNeese to tie up the game in the top of the fourth inning.
Southeastern was able to regain the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Whittington reached on an error to start the inning and later scored on an RBI single by Booker. Booker would score on an RBI double by Sather to push the lead to 5-3.
In the top of the fifth inning, Castro led off the inning with a triple. At that point, the game was delayed as Nichols was removed from the game with an undisclosed injury. Castro would later score on a sacrifice fly by Catron to cut the lead to 5-4.
SLU got the run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior first baseman
Teresa Lemos singled and later scored on an RBI single by sophomore outfielder
Sloan Jenkins to give the Lady Lions a two-run lead at 6-4.
McNeese took the lead for good against junior
Taylor Bishop (12-6) in the top of the sixth inning. Senior outfielder Lauren Langner tied the game with a two-run single, then scored on an RBI double by Catron to put the Cowgirls up, 7-6.
The Cowgirls added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. MSU were benefitted by two SLU errors to secure the 10-6 win.
