RUSTON, La. – Southeastern Louisiana and Louisiana Tech each collected 10 hits, but it was the hosts who were able to come up big in the clutch, as the Lady Techsters edged SLU, 7-4, in non-conference action Wednesday evening at the Lady Techster Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Lions lost their road opener to fall to 4-3 overall. Louisiana Tech (6-0) continued its torrid start to the 2019 campaign.
 
Bobbi Smith, Rebecca Skains, Ella Manzer and Pryscilla Prince had two hits apiece to pace the Southeastern attack. Manzer led the Lady Lions with two RBI, while Skains and Smith each drove in a run apiece. Sophie Hannabas (1-2) took the loss in the circle for SLU, as she, Tanner Wright, Alley McDonald and Shelby Sitzman all split the pitching duties in Saturday's win.
 
Southeastern jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against LTU starter Preslee Gallaway. Jaquelyn Ramon walked, stole second and scored on a Skains double to stake SLU to an early advantage. Louisiana Tech answered in its half of the first inning, as a two-run single by Marilyn Rizzato put the Lady Techsters up, 2-1.
 
Louisiana Tech grew its lead in the bottom of the second inning. RBI by Kimmie Atienza, Jazlyn Crowder and Zoe Hicks padded the LTU cushion to 5-1.
 
SLU cut into the lead in the top of the third inning. Smith led off the frame with a single, then Skains followed with her team-high sixth double of the season to put a pair on. Manzer, the reigning Southland Conference Hitter of the Week, singled them both home to cut the lead to 5-3. The Lady Lions could not get closer, as Gallaway retired Briahna Bennett, Mima Doucet and Prince to get out of the inning.
 
Gallaway hit Emily Henderson and gave up a single to Ramon to put a pair on with one out in the top of the fourth inning. Smith followed with a single that scored Henderson, but Ramon was gunned out trying to score from second. After walking Skains, LTU reliever Jenny Chapman (1-0) forced Manzer to fly out to keep SLU down, 5-4.
 
Southeastern put the tying run in scoring position in the top of the fifth inning with a one-out double by Madison Watson. However, LTU reliever Hannah Koenig kept the lead by retiring Prince and Henderson to end the threat. The Lady Techsters added to their lead with a two-run home run by Mary Terral in the bottom of the fifth to put the Lady Lions down, 7-4.
 
Louisiana Tech looked poised to blow the game open in its half of the sixth inning, loading the bases with one out. However, Sitzman kept SLU within striking distance going into the final inning by retiring Rizzato and Terral.
 
Singles by Manzer and Prince brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh inning, but Koenig forced Ali McCoy to ground out to earn her first save of the season.
 
Southeastern will return home to host Lion Classic II on Friday through Sunday at North Oak Park.
 
The Lady Lions will open the tournament on Friday with games versus Prairie View (3 p.m.) and Missouri State (5 p.m.). On Saturday, SLU opens the day with a 1:30 p.m. contest versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, before closing the day with a matchup versus UTSA at 3:30 p.m. The Lady Lions close the tournament with an 11 a.m. game versus SIU-Edwardsville on Sunday.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events (softball, baseball, football and basketball), effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.
 
HOME RUN CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the softball program are encouraged to join the Home Run Club. Lady Lion softball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Home Run Club and S Club (softball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern softball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Softball, follow @SLUlionsoftball on Twitter and Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.