HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team opened up a six-game road swing on Friday, dropping a doubleheader to Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
 
Southeastern fell to 18-17 overall and 4-7 in league play with the two losses. Sam Houston State (12-21, 4-7 Southland) extended its win streak to five games.
 
In the opener, the Bearkats scored eight runs in the first inning on the way to a 9-1 victory. Sophomore Kinsey Nichols led Southeastern with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate.
 
SHSU pitcher Lindsey McLeod (6-7) outdueled SLU senior Taylor Bishop (10-9), 2-1, in the nightcap. Nichols drove in freshman Jaquelyn Ramon for the Lions' lone run.
 
In the doubleheader, Southeastern, which came in ranked sixth in the nation in stolen bases, notched seven steals. Nichols, Ramon and sophomore Carlie Whittington stole two bases each, while senior Katie Lacour stole her school-record 32^nd bag of the season. Through 35 games, the Lady Lions have set a school season mark with 101 steals as a team.
 
The series wraps up with a 3 p.m. series finale on Saturday. Live stats, provided by host SHSU, will be accessible at www.LionSports.net.
 
Game One – Sam Houston State 9, Southeastern Louisiana 1
The Bearkats was able to chase Southeastern freshman Caitlyn VanHemelryck (3-2) in the bottom of the first inning. The Covina, California native was unable to get out of the frame, as Sam Houston State sent 11 batters to the plate in an eight-run frame to take an 8-0 lead.
 
Southeastern senior Madison Vige' and Bearkat starter Taylor Atkinson (5-8) matched zeroes until the Lady Lions got on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Ramon drew a leadoff walk, then promptly stole second and third. One out later, she scored on an error by SHSU catcher Katie Doerre to cut the lead to 8-1.
 
Sam Houston State answered with a run of its own to enforce the run rule in the bottom of the fifth inning. Samantha Belongia singled, stole second and scored on an RBI double by Dani Allen to give the Bearkats the 9-1 victory.
 
Game Two – Sam Houston State 2, Southeastern Louisiana 1
Southeastern mounted a threat in the top of the first inning, as Nichols walked, stole second and moved to third on a Doerre error. However, McLeod struck out senior Amber Sather to keep SLU off the board.
 
The Bearkats scratched across the game's first run in the bottom of the second inning. Ashley Goetz led off the frame with a double and scored one out later on a single by Codi Carpenter to give SHSU a 1-0 advantage.
 
Southeastern evened the game in the top of the third inning. Ramon reached on a two-base error by Breanna Homer and later scored on a Nichols sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1-1.
 
Sam Houston State took the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning. Bailey Watson led off the frame with a single and scored on an RBI triple by Homer to give the Bearkats a 2-1 edge.
 
Bishop held SHSU in check for the remainder of the game, but SLU couldn't get anything going at the plate against McLeod. Singles by Sather and senior Amanda Livaudais resulted in the only base runners for the Lady Lions in the final four innings.