HAMMOND, La. – San Jose State scored five runs in the final two innings to rally past Southeastern Louisiana for a 6-2 victory in the 2019 softball season opener for both teams Thursday evening at North Oak Park.
The Lady Lions (0-1) took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning, but the visiting Spartans (1-0) plated two in the sixth and three in the seventh to claim the victory.
Rebecca Skains led the Southeastern offensive attack with a 3-for-4 performance with a run scored.
Jaquelyn Ramon,
Ella Manzer and
Lindsey Rizzo each had two hits apiece for SLU. In her collegiate debut,
Sophie Hannabas (0-1) took the hard luck loss in the circle, allowing three earned runs in six innings of work.
SJSU jumped on top in the top of the first inning. Hannabas hit Makayla Englestad with one out and Madison Aurin singled her home to give the Spartans a 1-0 advantage.
Southeastern looked like it would answer right away against Aurin in the bottom of the first inning.
Bobbi Smith reached on an error, Ramon walked and Skains beat out a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. However, Aurin sat down
Madison Watson, Manzer and
Karlee Kraft to get out of the inning unscathed.
Both Hannabas and Aurin settled down over the next several innings, until SLU knotted the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Manzer singled to lead off the inning and made way for pinch runner
Anna Rodenberg. Rodenberg moved all the way to third when Kraft reached on an error, then scored on a sacrifice fly by
Briahna Bennett to even the ledger at 1-1.
Southeastern took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Skains roped a double to deep centerfield with one out and then scored when Manzer hit a double of her own in nearly the same spot to give SLU a 2-1 advantage.
Englestad led off the Spartan half of the sixth inning with a chopper out of Watson's reach at third base, then Kaelin Amrein smoked a shot over Smith's head in center to tie the score. Amerein would come home with the go-ahead run two outs later on a Watson error to put San Jose State up, 3-2.
SJSU blew the game open in the top of the seventh inning. The first six Spartans of the inning reached, including four straight walks.
Alley McDonald came in and got SLU out of the inning, but not before the Spartans stretched the advantage to 6-2.
Southeastern mounted one last rally in the bottom of the seventh, as consecutive singles by Ramon and Skains put runners on the corners with two outs. However, SJSU reliever Caroline Bowman (1-0) forced Watson to pop out to secure the win.
The Lion Classic I will open on Friday at North Oak Park. The Lady Lions face Southern Illinois (3 p.m.) and Northern Illinois (5 p.m.) to open the tournament.
SJS – 100 002 3 – 6 8 2 (1-0)
SLU – 000 110 0 – 2 8 2 (1-0)
Madison Aurin, Caroline Bowman (5) and Alyssa Avila.
Sophie Hannabas,
Karlee Kraft (7),
Shelby Sitzman (7),
Alley McDonald (7) and
Ella Manzer. W – Aurin (1-0). L – Hannabas (0-1). 2B – SJS: Kaelin Amrein (1); SLU:
Rebecca Skains (1),
Ella Manzer (1). T – 2:11. A – 377.
2019 Lion Classic I – February 8-10, 2019 – North Oak Park (Hammond, La.)
Friday, February 8
Field One
1 p.m. –
Nicholls vs. Southern Illinois
3 p.m. –
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Southern Illinois
5 p.m. –
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Northern Illinois
Field Three
3 p.m. –
San Jose State vs. Northern Illinois
5 p.m. –
San Jose State vs. Mississippi Valley State
Saturday, February 9
Field One
11 a.m. – Northern Illinois vs.
Mississippi Valley State
1 p.m. –
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Northern Illinois
3:30 p.m. –
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Mississippi Valley State
5:30 p.m. – Nicholls vs.
San Jose State
Field Three
1 p.m. – Nicholls vs.
Southern Illinois
3:30 p.m. – San Jose State vs.
Southern Illinois
Sunday, February 10
Field One
10 a.m. –
Nicholls vs. San Jose State
12 p.m. –
Southeastern Louisiana vs. Mississippi Valley State
Field Three
10 a.m. – Southern Illinois vs.
Mississippi Valley State
12 p.m. – Nicholls vs.
Northern Illinois
Home teams 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.
