LAKE CHARLES, La. – Southeastern Louisiana senior Lacey Hill tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout to lead the Lady Lions to a 6-0 victory over Northwestern State in a Southland Conference Softball Tournament elimination game Wednesday evening at Joe Miller Field.
 
The Lady Lions (37-20) will face the winner of Wednesday's nightcap between Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State in another elimination game on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. Northwestern State finished the season with a 28-25 overall record.
 
Hill (12-6) allowed two hits and walked one in her first complete-game shutout of 2018. She backed up an eight-hit SLU attack. Freshman Ella Manzer highlighted the SLU order, hitting her first collegiate home run and driving in two runs for the Lady Lions.
 
Southeastern took the early lead versus NSU senior Micaela Bouvier (14-11) in the top of the first inning. Senior Maddie Edmonston led off the inning with a single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Rebecca Skains to give the Lady Lions a 1-0 cushion.
 
The Lady Lions added to their lead in the top of the second inning. Manzer led off the frame with a towering solo home run over the centerfield fence. Freshman Madison Watson followed with a single and advanced to second on an error. Senior Carlie Whittington took Watson's place on the base paths and scored when Edmonston beat out an infield single.
 
After Edmonston stole second, she scored on an RBI single up the middle by senior Kinsey Nichols to give SLU a 4-0 advantage.
 
Southeastern added two more runs in its half of the third. Bouvier hit freshman Madisen Blackford, who scored on a three-base throwing error by Bouvier. Later in the inning, sophomore Ali McCoy, who reached on the aforementioned error, scored on an RBI single by Manzer to give SLU a 6-0 lead.
 
Hill did not allow her first hit until the fourth, as she gave up a bloop single to sophomore Madelyn Matt after walking sophomore Julie Rawls to put a pair on with one out. However, she retired freshman Codi Vernace and sophomore Hayley Barbazon to keep the Lady Demons off the board.
 
The first three days of tournament play will be streamed live on the Southland Digital Network at www.southland.org/live and via the Southland Conference app. The tournament's championship game will be televised on ESPNU. Links to live stats and video will be accessible on the softball schedule page at www.LionSports.net. The winner of the tournament will receive the Southland's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
 
2018 Southland Conference Softball Tournament
May 8-11, 2018 | Joe Miller Field | Lake Charles, Louisiana
 
Tuesday, May 8 (All Games on Southland Digital Network)
Game 1 – No. 8 Sam Houston State 9, No. 5 Central Arkansas 1 (UCA eliminated)*
Game 2 – No. 7 Northwestern State 4, No. 6 Abilene Christian 3 (ACU eliminated)*
Game 3 – No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana 7, Sam Houston State 0
Game 4 – No. 3 McNeese 12, Northwestern State 5
* - Single-elimination
 
Wednesday, May 9 (All Games on Southland Digital Network)
Game 5 – No. 1 Nicholls 7, Southeastern Louisiana 4
Game 6 – McNeese 8, No. 2 Stephen F. Austin vs. McNeese 2
Game 7 – Southeastern Louisiana 6, Northwestern State 0 (NSU eliminated)
Game 8 – Sam Houston State vs. Stephen F. Austin, 6:30 p.m.
 
Thursday, May 10 (All Games on Southland Digital Network)
Game 9 – Nicholls vs. McNeese, 11 a.m.
Game 10 – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Winner Game 8, 1:30 p.m.
Game 11 – Loser Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 4 p.m.
 
Friday, May 11
Game 12 – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11, Noon (ESPNU)
Game 13 – Rematch only necessary if Winner Game 11 wins Game 12, TBD (ESPN3)
Tournament winner advances to the NCAA Tournament