Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

THIBODAUX, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team split a doubleheader at Nicholls in Southland Conference softball action Friday evening at Swanner Field.
 
With today's results around the Southland Conference, SLU (32-20, 17-9 Southland) will be no lower than the fifth seed in next week's league tournament in Natchitoches. Nicholls (31-20, 20-6 Southland) pulled even in the win column with league leader Sam Houston State.
 
Southeastern shook off a tough game one loss with an 11-1, six-inning victory over the Colonels in the nightcap – marking the first time Nicholls has been run-ruled at home since the 2013 season. Ella Manzer and Rebecca Skains each had four RBI to fuel an 11-hit attack, while Alley McDonald (13-6) allowed six hits in a complete-game effort, improving to 11-2 versus Southland opponents.
 
Nicholls edged the Lady Lions, 3-2, in the series opener. An RBI double by Rebecca Skains and a solo home run by Madisen Blackford staked SLU to the early lead, but Nicholls rallied with two runs in the third and a run in sixth to earn the victory. Karlee Kraft (4-1) took her first collegiate loss in the circle, scattering five hits in 5.1 innings of work.
 
The series wraps with a noon contest on Saturday.
 
Game One – Nicholls 3, Southeastern Louisiana 2
Southeastern jumped out to a 1-0 lead versus Nicholls ace Megan Landry in the top of the first. Jaquelyn Ramon drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lindsey Rizzo and scored when Skains lined her single-season school record 18^th double of the season into the right centerfield gap.
 
The Lady Lions doubled their lead in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Madisen Blackford hit a solo home run to straight away centerfield. The Des Moines, Iowa native's team-high seventh home run of the season staked SLU to a 2-0 advantage.
 
After Kraft pitched two scoreless innings, Shelby Sitzman came in and gave up three singles and hit a batter to force in a run. Kraft came back in with the bases loaded and no outs to minimize the damage, though the Colonels did tie the score with an RBI groundout by Kasey Frederick.
 
Kraft and Landry matched zeroes until Nicholls took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. A single by Caitlin Garcia and a double by Veronica Villafranco put runners at second and third. Corynn Major then hit a slow grounder to second and Ramon's throw home was wide, allowing the go-ahead run to score.
 
Ramon beat out a two-out single and then stole her SLU and Southland Conference single-season school record-tying 58^th base of the season. However, Landry retired Lindsey Rizzo to close out the win.
 
Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 11, Nicholls 1 (6 Innings)
Southeastern took the early lead in the top of the first inning. After Ramon beat out an infield single, Ella Manzer cleared the bases with a two-run shot over the left centerfield fence to put SLU up, 2-0.
 
The Lady Lions added to their lead in their half of the third. Ramon legged out a bunt single, moved to third when Rizzo reached on an error and scored on a Skains groundout. Another Colonel error allowed Rizzo to score and put SLU ahead, 4-0.
 
Nicholls got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. A Major double, followed by a Samantha Mracich single put a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. McDonald limited the damage, though Major did score on a sacrifice fly by Emma Holland to cut the Lady Lion advantage to 4-1.
 
SLU got the run back and then some in the top of the fifth. Rizzo reached on a one-out walk, then Skains hit a double into the left centerfield gap to score Rizzo. Later in the inning, Cameron Beal and Pryscilla Prince executed a perfect double steal to pad the Lady Lion cushion to 6-1.
 
Southeastern blew the game open in the top of the sixth inning. Singles by Madisen Blackford, Kraft and Ramon opened the inning with consecutive singles to load the bases. One out later, Skains plated two with an RBI single, then Ella Manzer lined her first triple of the season into the right field corner to plate two more. Manzer would score on an RBI groundout by Mima Doucet to give SLU an 11-1 lead.
 
McDonald allowed a pair of two-out singles in the sixth, but retired Major to secure the split.
 
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TICKETS
Tickets are on sale for the Southland Conference Softball Tournament, which will be played May 7-10 at Northwestern State's Lady Demon Diamond. Available options include an all-tournament pass ($20 for adults, $10 kids) and single-game tickets ($10 adults, $5 kids). With valid ID, students from Southland institutions will receive free admission. Tickets can be purchased at nsudemons.com. Click "packages" for all-tournament passes. In addition, fans can call the ticket office at 318-357-4268 or buy tickets at the gate via cash or card.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.