HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana erased an early four-run deficit with a six-run second inning on the way to a 7-5 Southland Conference victory over Sam Houston State in the finale of a league softball series Saturday afternoon at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
 
Southeastern (19-17, 5-7 Southland) avoided the series sweep with Saturday's victory. The loss for the host Bearkats (15-22, 4-8 Southland) snapped a five-game winning streak.
 
The Lady Lions were led at the plate by seniors Katie Lacour and Amber Sather, who both had two hits and an RBI. Freshmen Whitney Sullivan, Angelica Gutierrez and Jaquelyn Ramon, as well as sophomore Brittney Wingate, each also drove in runs for SLU.
 
After relieving senior Madison Vige' in the first inning, Southeastern senior Taylor Bishop (11-9) went the rest of the way in the circle. The Sugar Land, Texas native scattered five hits and did not allow an earned run, striking out four in 7.0 innings of work.
 
Southeastern looked to take the lead in the top of the first inning versus SHSU pitcher Jordan Franks (1-3). Lacour led off the game with a bunt single, then promptly stole her single-season school record and Southland-high 33^rd base of the year. One out later, sophomore Kinsey Nichols singled into right field and Lacour was gunned out by Samantha Belongia trying to score to end the Lady Lion threat.
 
Sam Houston State jumped on Vige' in the bottom of the first inning, as the first four batters reached and scored, as the Bearkats took an early 4-0 lead.
 
To their credit, the Lady Lions would immediately bounce back, sending 11 batters to the plate in the top of the second inning. Sather led off the frame with a double, then two straight Bearkat errors allowed junior pinch runner Peyton Sutton to score. Gutierrez followed with a single to score freshman Taylar Fuselier, before Sullivan scored on a Ramon fielder's choice. Wingate tied the score with a sacrifice fly that scored Gutierrez. Ramon would score on SHSU's third error of the inning, then Sather singled home Nichols to give the Lady Lions a 6-4 advantage.
 
Sam Houston State cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third inning. Katie Doerre tripled with one out and scored later in the inning due to an error by Ramon to pull the Bearkats within, 6-5.
 
Bishop and SHSU reliever Lindsey McLeod settled both lineups down over the next few innings until the Lady Lions added an insurance run in the top of the sixth inning. Consecutive doubles by Ramon and Lacour put the Lady Lions ahead, 7-5.
 
That would be more than enough for Bishop. The Lady Lion ace allowed a single by Codi Carpenter to lead off the sixth inning then retired the final six batters she faced to close out the win.
 
Southeastern will close out its six-game road swing with a three-game Southland Conference series at Lamar. The series opens with a 5 p.m. contest on Friday and closes with a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.