HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana dropped a pair of narrow decisions to Southland Conference foe Stephen F. Austin in a league softball doubleheader Friday evening at North Oak Park.
 
In the opener, Stephen F. Austin (14-16, 4-3 Southland) scored six runs in the final two innings to rally for a 9-7 extra-inning victory. Senior Katie Lacour had a team-high three hits for SLU (17-15, 3-5 Southland). Senior Amber Sather hit a three-run home run for the Lady Lions, while junior Mychal Truxillo and sophomore Brittney Wingate each had two RBI.
 
Southeastern could not take advantage of five SFA errors in the nightcap, dropping a 4-2 decision. Sophomore Kinsey Nichols scored both runs for Southeastern, while freshman Jaquelyn Ramon had two of the four hits the Lady Lions managed against SFA pitcher Makayla Sykes (4-6).
 
The Lady Lions will look to avoid the series sweep on Saturday, when the series wraps up with a 12 p.m. contest. Live stats and video (LionVision subscription required) will be accessible at www.LionSports.net.
 
Game One – Stephen F. Austin 9, Southeastern Louisiana 7 (8 Innings)
Stephen F. Austin took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run against SLU freshman Caitlyn VanHemelryck in the top of the first inning. Courtney Chambers was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, stole second and later scored on a throwing error by Lacour.
 
Southeastern got to SFA starter Brittney Lewis in the bottom of the third inning. Ramon and Lacour led off the inning with consecutive singles, then Wingate singled them both home. Nichols followed with a single of her own and Sather drew a walk to load the bases. Truxillo followed with a two-run single up the middle to give SLU a 4-1 advantage.
 
SFA chopped in to the lead in the top of the fourth inning. A home run by Lewis and an RBI double by Taylor LeFlore cut the Lady Lion advantage to 4-3.
 
Southeastern answered in the bottom of the frame. Lacour singled and Nichols reached on an error to put a pair of runners on. Sather followed by powering a 2-2 pitch over the centerfield fence. The Kennedale, Texas native's team-high fourth home run of the season put the Lady Lions in front, 7-3.
 
VanHemelryck cruised until giving up consecutive singles to open the top of the seventh inning. Senior Taylor Bishop (9-8) came in to relieve VanHemelryck and gave up a single to Peyton Tinney to load the bases. One out later, Bishop hit Alisa Hamilton to force in a run. RBI by Taylor Fraccastoro, Lewis and Faith Talley tied the score at 7-7.
 
Freshman Whitney Sullivan led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single, then sophomore Carlie Whittington walked to put a pair of runners on with no outs in the bottom of the seventh. After Callee Guffey (4-3) forced freshman Taylor Estain to fly out, Ramon hit a fly out to centerfield. Freshman Peyton Pigniolo, who was pinch running for Sullivan, lost track of the outs and took off on contact and was easily doubled up to end the threat.
 
SFA took the lead for good in the top of the eighth inning. LeFlore led off the inning with a double and later scored on an error by sophomore Grace DeLee. A perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Hamilton scored another run and gave SFA a 9-7 lead. Guffey retired the Lady Lions in order in the eighth to secure the victory.
 
Game Two – Stephen F. Austin 4, Southeastern Louisiana 2
Southeastern mounted the game's first scoring threat in the bottom of the first inning. Nichols, Sather and Truxillo each drew walks to load the bases, but Sikes recovered to strike out Sullivan to keep Southeastern off the board.
 
Pigniolo (3-2) walked four Ladyjacks to force in a run in the top of the third inning. LeFlore followed with a two-run double to chase Pigniolo from the game with the Lady Lions trailing, 3-0.
 
Southeastern got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. Nichols walked, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Truxillo to cut the SFA advantage to 3-1.
 
Senior Madison Vige' came in to relieve Pigniolo and kept Southeastern in it, but the Lady Lions left runners on in each of the next three innings. SFA finally got an insurance run off Vige' in the top of the seventh inning to go ahead, 4-1.
 
Southeastern made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh inning. A single by Nichols and a walk drawn by Sather put a pair of runners on with one out. Fraccastoro then tried to pick Nichols off at second, but her throw sailed into centerfield, allowing the speedster from Alvin, Texas to score and cut the lead to 4-2.
 
That would be as close as Southeastern would get, however. Sikes settled down to retire Truxillo and Sullivan to close out the complete-game effort.