HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team opened Lion Classic II by splitting a pair of non-conference contests on Friday at North Oak Park.  
 
The Lady Lions (5-4) opened the day with a 7-0 victory over Prairie View (4-2). In the nightcap, Missouri State (5-2) held off SLU for a 5-3 win.
 
SLU's Karlee Kraft (1-0) scattered three hits in six shutout innings to earn her first collegiate victory in the circle in the win over PVAMU. Jaquelyn Ramon, Bobbi Smith and Ella Manzer collected two hits apiece to highlight a 10-hit Lady Lion attack, while Southeastern stole 10 bases on the way to the triumph.
 
In the nightcap, Missouri State outlasted Southeastern after the Lady Lions jumped to an early lead. Manzer's second home run of the second highlighted SLU's attack, while Lindsey Rizzo was 2-for-3 at the bottom of the order.
 
In Friday's other games, SIU-Edwardsville defeated UTSA, 5-4, before falling to Prairie View, 8-6. UTSA bounced back with a 5-3 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, who also fell to Missouri State, 4-1.
 
Southeastern will be back in action with two more games on Saturday. The Lady Lions face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 1:30 p.m. and UTSA at 3:30 p.m.
 
Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 7, Prairie View 0
The Lady Lions grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the first innings. Ramon singled, second and scored on a bunt single by Rebecca Skains. Skains would later score on an error by Bianca Cruz to put SLU up, 2-0.
 
While Kraft was cruising through the Prairie View lineup, SLU stranded runners in the second and third innings. The Lady Lions padded their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Ramon doubled home Rizzo to put Southeastern ahead, 3-0.
 
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Madison Watson singled home Anna Rodenberg and Amberlyn Alfano scored on a wild pitch by Crystal Castillo (1-1). A two-run single by Smith capped the scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Briahna Bennett tossed a scoreless seventh inning to close out SLU's first shutout win of 2019.
 
Game Two – Missouri State 5, Southeastern Louisiana 3
The Bears took a 1-0 lead versus SLU starter Alley McDonald (1-1) in the top of the first inning. Kyana Mason led off the game with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Madison Hunsaker to give Missouri State the early advantage.
 
Southeastern answered quickly in the bottom of the first versus Steffany Dickerson (3-1). Ramon drew a 14-pitch walk to lead off the inning and then stole second. Bear catcher Morgan Greenlee's throw was wild and Ramon was able to score to tie the score. One out after Smith drew a walk, Manzer hit a towering shot over the left centerfield fence to put the Lady Lions ahead, 3-1.
 
Missouri State retook the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Rachel Weber chased McDonald from the game with an RBI single, which Hannah Heinrichs followed with a two-run triple to put the Bears ahead, 4-3. MSU took advantage of two SLU errors to add an insurance run in its half of the sixth.
 
Southeastern mounted one last threat in the bottom of the seventh inning. A double by Madisen Blackford and a Rizzo single put the tying run aboard with one out. However, Hunsaker retired Ramon and Smith to earn her first save of the season.
 
2019 Lion Classic II – February 15-17, 2019 – North Oak Park
 
Tournament Standings
Missouri State – 2-0
Southeastern Louisiana – 1-1
Prairie View – 1-1
Southern Illinois-Edwardsville – 1-1
UTSA – 1-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 1-1
 
Friday, February 15
 
SIU-Edwardsville 5, UTSA 4
Prairie View 8, SIU-Edwardsville 6
Southeastern Louisiana 7, Prairie View 0
Missouri State 5, Southeastern Louisiana 3
UTSA 5, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 3
Missouri State 4, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1
 
Saturday, February 16
 
Field One
11 a.m. – SIU-Edwardsville vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
1:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
3:30 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. UTSA
 
Field Three
11 a.m. – Missouri State vs. Prairie View
1:30 p.m. – UTSA vs. Prairie View
3:30 p.m. – SIU-Edwardsville vs. Missouri State
 
Sunday, February 17
 
Field One
11 a.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Prairie View (LionVision)
 
Field Three
11 a.m. – Missouri State vs. UTSA
 
Home team in bold
 
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.