TROY, Ala. - A pair of big innings by No. 19 Pittsburgh spoiled the Southeastern Louisiana softball team's upset bid and sent the Lady Lions to a 10-4 loss on the opening day of the Troy Classic Friday afternoon at the Troy Softball Complex.
 
The loss dropped the Lady Lions to 6-4 overall. Pittsburgh (10-1) used a five-run fourth and a four-run sixth to pull away for the victory.
 
Junior second baseman Mahalia Gibson led Southeastern at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Junior outfielder Kinsey Nichols, junior outfielder Maddie Edmonston and freshman designated player Mattie Ort each also had an RBI for SLU. Freshman Alley McDonald (0-1) took the loss in the circle, allowing four runs in 3.1 innings of work.
 
Pittsburgh took the early lead in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Alexis Solak gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead with her first home run of the season.
 
Southeastern answered in the top of the third inning against Pittsburgh starter Brittany Knight (5-0). Sophomore shortstop Jaquelyn Ramon and Edmonston each walked with one out and stole bases to put a pair in scoring position. Ramon would come home with the tying run on a Nichols groundout, then Gibson beat out an infield single to score Edmonston and give the Lady Lions a 2-1 lead.
 
McDonald made the lead hold up until the bottom of the fourth inning. Connor McGaffic singled home the tying run, then Valerie Ortega greeted freshman reliever Tanner Wright with a two-run double to give Pitt the lead for good. A two-run home run by Olivia Gray capped the scoring for the Panthers and gave Pittsburgh a commanding 6-2 lead.
 
In their half of the fifth inning, the Lady Lions cut into the lead with a two-out rally. Consecutive singles by Nichols, Gibson and Ort pulled within three at 6-3.
 
Southeastern had its best chance to rally in the sixth inning. Junior outfielder Kalyn Watts and sophomore catcher Whitney Sullivan each walked to put a pair of runners on with two outs. Pitt reliever Sarah Dawson retired the next two batters, but Edmonston laced a double to score Watts to pull the Lady Lions closer. Dawson recovered to strike out Nichols to keep the lead at 6-4.
 
Any hope of a SLU comeback were dashed in the bottom of the sixth inning. An RBI triple by Hannah Edwards followed by an RBI single by Olivia Gray accounted for the frame's first two runs. Giorgiana Zeremenko capped the scoring with a two-run home run to send the Panthers into the final inning with a six-run lead.
 
Dawson would make it stand up in the top of the seventh inning. Senior third baseman Mychal Truxillo tripled down the right field line and Watts drew a walk to put a pair of runners on with two outs. But Dawson struck out Sullivan to close out the win.
 
Southeastern will continue tournament play on Saturday with a 10 a.m. game versus Lipscomb and a 3 p.m. contest versus host Troy. Live stats and video, provided by the host Trojans, will be accessible via the softball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.