HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana senior Rachel Hayes tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout as the Lady Lion softball team clinched its Southland Conference series with a 2-0 Senior Day victory over Houston Baptist Saturday afternoon at North Oak Park.
 
With the win in the rubber game, Southeastern improved to 22-15 overall and 9-6 in Southland Conference play. HBU fell to 7-22 overall and 4-11 in league action.
 
Hayes (9-6) faced one over the minimum on her way to her seventh win in her last eight decisions. The Lady Lions made several nice defensive plays to back up Hayes' gem.
 
"We played a very clean game today," Southeastern head coach Rick Fremin said. "Rachel was fantastic holding HBU to just one hit and we played errorless defensive behind her. We would've liked a sweep this weekend, but to take the series was another step forward as we head into the second half of our Southland Conference schedule."
 
The SLU lineup managed just enough offense against the HBU freshmen duo of Jessica Patak (4-13) and Eliot Estes. Junior Jaquelyn Ramon, senior Mahalia Gibson, senior Alli Daigle and senior Kinsey Nichols each collected hits. Freshman Madisen Blackford and junior Rebecca Skains were credited with RBI, while Ramon and senior Peyton Sutton each scored runs.
 
Saturday was Senior Day and Alumni Day at North Oak Park. Several former Lady Lions were honored prior to the game, as was the 2018 senior class of Hayes, Gibson, Daigle, Nichols, Sutton, Carlie Whittington, Grace DeLee, Maddie Edmonston and Lacey Hill.
 
"I love this group of seniors," Fremin said. "They've done everything I've ever asked of them and will be sorely missed at the end of the season."
 
Hayes and Patak mowed through the lineups until SLU scratched out a run in the bottom of the third inning. Sutton pinch ran for Daigle after the latter's leadoff single, advanced to third on a double into the right centerfield gap and scored on a sacrifice fly by Blackford to give Southeastern a 1-0 lead.
 
Hayes sat down the first 11 batters she faced, before junior Demi Janak doubled off the centerfield fence with two outs in the top of the fourth inning. Hayes left her on base and forced senior Kassie James to pop out to second to keep the Huskies scoreless.
 
Both offenses quieted down until SLU added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ramon beat out an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a bunt single by Gibson. Estes then forced Skains to foul out to the catcher.
 
HBU sophomore Heidi Jaquez had to slide right in front of her dugout to grab Skains' pop up and with no one covering home, the speedy Ramon, the school's career leader in stolen bases, raced home to pad the Lady Lion cushion to 2-0.
 
"During all my time as a coach," Fremin said. "That was one of the smartest base running plays I've ever seen."
 
Hayes quickly retired the first two batters in the top of the seventh inning. James then hit a laser that was destined for a base hit, but Ramon made a diving, snow cone catch for the game's final out.
 
Southeastern will be back in action on Tuesday, traveling to ULM for a 5 p.m. non-conference contest in Monroe. Live stats, provided by the hosts, will be accessible on the softball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.