Box Score

NATCHITOCHES – Top-seeded Northwestern State shook off an early 2-0 deficit to eliminate Southeastern Louisiana, 9-2, from the Southland Conference Softball Tournament Thursday night at Lady Demon Diamond.
 
Southeastern finished the season with a 22-30 overall record. Northwestern State (35-17) advanced to Friday's 10:30 a.m. elimination game with the winner to face Central Arkansas at 2 p.m. for the league championship.
 
Playing in the final game of her career, senior third baseman Megan Moore led SLU by going 3-for-3 with an RBI. Junior outfielder Katie Lacour and freshman shortstop Sydney Booker had two hits apiece for SLU, while sophomore outfielder Mychal Truxillo also drove in a run.
 
Southeastern took the early lead in the top of the first. Singles by junior centerfielder Katie Lacour, freshman shortstop Sydney Booker, senior third baseman Megan Moore and sophomore outfielder Mychal Truxillo resulted in an early 2-0 Lady Lion lead.
 
NSU pulled closer in the bottom of the first inning against SLU junior Taylor Bishop (14-9), scoring a run on an RBI double by sophomore first baseman Brittney Jones. Bishop was able to get out of the inning without further damage, forcing sophomore second baseman Micayla Sorosiak to pop out to leave the bases loaded and the Lady Demons trailing, 2-1.
 
NSU tied it in the bottom of the second on a unearned run. Freshman shortstop Hailee Rhodes struck out, but reached on a wild pitch. After moving to second on a passed ball, she scored on an RBI double by senior third baseman Brittany Virgoe to tie the score at 2-2.
 
Southeastern threatened in the top of the third inning, as singles by Booker and Moore put a pair on with one out. Freshman pitcher Mikayla Brown bore down to retire Truxillo, then sophomore right fielder Kellye Kincannon robbed SLU senior first baseman Teresa Lemos of a hit with a diving catch to keep the score tied at 2-2.
 
NSU took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning, as a three-run home run by Sorosiak chased Bishop from the game. Senior Spencer Adkinson looked to keep the deficit at three, but a throwing error by Moore gave the Lady Demons another run and a 6-2 cushion.
 
NSU touched up Adkinson for several runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Senior designated player Cassandra Barefield led off the inning with a home run, then freshman catcher Kaytie Proctor singled home another run to chase Adkinson and put Bishop back in to the game. Freshman centerfielder Sidney Salmans beat out a infield single to score another run to give NSU a commanding 9-2 lead.
 
Thursday's loss closed a record-breaking season for the Lady Lions. Lacour finished 2015 with single-season school records with 46 runs and 89 hits, while also setting a single-season school record with a .484 batting average, besting the previous school mark of .460 set by Southeastern Athletics Hall of Famer Voncia Bookman in 1992. The Port St. Joe, Florida native is also the school's career leader with 203 hits and 99 runs scored after her junior season.
 
Booker set a school record with eight triples this season, while falling her 49 RBI was one shy of the single-season school record. Junior designated player Amber Sather holds both the single-season (43) and career (109) record for walks after the completion of her third year in Hammond.
 
While SLU will deal with the loss of Moore, Adkinson, Lemos, senior second baseman Vanessa Eng and senior pitcher Tori Stamper, the Lady Lions will return a strong nucleus in 2016, headed by Lacour, Bishop, Booker, Sather and 2016 sophomore outfielder Kinsey Nichols.
 
SLU – 200 000 0 – 2 8 2 (22-30)
NSU – 114 300 x – 9 14 0 (34-17)
Taylor Bishop, Spencer Adkinson (3), Bishop (4), Tori Stamper (6) and Carlie Whittington, Lacey Fritz (6). Mikayla Brown, Micaela Bouvier (4) and Kaytie Proctor. W – Bouvier (14-5). L – Bishop (14-9). HR – NSU: Mikayla Sorosiak (14), Cassandra Barefield (17). 2B – NSU: Brittney Jones (18), Brittany Virgoe (13), Natalie Landry (9). T -2:02 . A - 661.
 
2015 Southland Conference Softball Tournament – May 6-8 – Lady Demon Diamond – Natchitoches, La.
 
Wednesday, May 6
Game 1 – No. 3 Central Arkansas 1, No. 6 A&M-Corpus Christi 0 (13 Innings)
Game 2 –No. 5 Lamar 3, No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana 1
Game 3 – Central Arkansas 6, No. 2 McNeese State 2
Game 4 – Lamar 6, Northwestern State 1
 
Thursday, May 7
Game 5 – Northwestern State 3, A&M-Corpus Christi 1 (AMCC eliminated)
Game 6 – Southeastern Louisiana 5, McNeese State 0 (MSU eliminated)
Game 7 – Central Arkansas 7, Lamar 0
Game 8 – Northwestern State 9, Southeastern Louisiana 2
 
Friday, May 8
Game 9 – Lamar vs. Northwestern State, 10:30 a.m.
Game 10 – Central Arkansas vs. Winner Game 9, 2 p.m.*
 
* - 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. The start time for game 11, if necessary, is TBA
 
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