Box Score

BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar held of a seventh-inning Southeastern Louisiana rally to earn a 4-3 victory in the rubber game of a Southland Conference softball series Saturday evening at the Lamar Softball Complex.
 
Southeastern fell to 20-14 overall and 7-5 in Southland Conference play. Lamar (20-16, 6-6 Southland) took the series after jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
 
An RBI triple by junior Kelly Meeuwsen, a sacrifice fly by junior Taylor Davis and an RBI double by sophomore Shelby Henderson allowed Lamar to chase senior Rachel Hayes (7-6) from the game in the bottom of the first inning. The Cardinals, who handed Hayes her first loss in her last six decisions, were out to a 3-0 lead.
 
SLU pulled within one in the top of the second inning. Singles by sophomores Mattie Ort and Ali McCoy put a pair of runners on with one out. A two-base error by Meeuwsen allowed a pair of unearned runs to score and shrunk the Lamar lead to 3-2.
 
Lamar senior starter Laura Napoli (9-7) and SLU sophomore reliever Alley McDonald matched zeroes until the Cardinals added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Davis led off the frame with a double and was later singled home by senior Corina Thornton to give LU a two-run cushion.
 
Southeastern mounted one last threat in the top of the seventh inning. McCoy drew a one-out walk and scored when Manzer followed with her first collegiate triple. However, the tying run would be stranded at third, as Napoli followed a walk to senior Alli Daigle by retiring seniors Kinsey Nichols and Maddie Edmonston to close out the victory.
 
SLU will close out a four-game road swing with a 6 p.m. non-conference contest at ULM on Tuesday in Monroe.