HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team earned a pair of run-rule victories to open the 2020 season on the opening day of the Lion Classic Friday at North Oak Park.
 
Southeastern (2-0) opened the day with an 11-3 victory over Buffalo (1-1) in six innings. Lindsey Rizzo led a 12-hit SLU attack with a 3-for-4 performance. Kelci Bodin, Madisen Blackford and Ella Manzer each had two hits apiece, while Briahna Bennett hit a three-run home run for the Lady Lions. SLU ace Alley McDonald (1-0) scattered eight hits over five innings to earn the win.
 
In the nightcap, Karlee Kraft homered and drove in five runs to fuel a 12-4, five-inning triumph over Alabama State. Kraft, Rizzo, Blackford, Manzer, Bennett, Aeriyl Mass and Cameron Goodman all had two hits apiece for the Lady Lions. Heather Zumo (1-0), Shelby Sitzman and MC Comeaux combined to hold the visitors to six hits in the win.
 
In the day's earlier games, Buffalo defeated UT Martin, 4-3, before the Skyhawks rebounded with a 5-0 victory over ASU.
 
Up Next
Southeastern will face Buffalo at 4 p.m. and UT Martin at 6 p.m. on Saturday to close out day two action at the Lion Classic.
 
Live stats for all tournament games will be available at www.LionSports.net/sidearmstats/softball. The Southeastern Sports Network will offer a free video stream of all of Southeastern's games only during the tournament. Tune in online at www.LionSports.net or the Lions Game Day Experience app for Android or iOS devices. Fans can also watch on Southeastern's YouTube channel (/SLUathletics) with any mobile, tablet or smart TV device (e.g., Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV and Roku).
 
Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 11, Buffalo 3
McDonald pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the top of the first inning before SLU jumped on top in the bottom of the frame. Bodin and Rizzo opened the game with consecutive singles, then Blackford drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Manzer then singled home Bodin to put the Lady Lions on the board. A Bennett sacrifice fly and a groundout by Madison Watson plated two more runs to stake Southeastern to an early 3-0 lead.
 
SLU added to its lead in the bottom of the second inning against Buffalo pitcher Alexis Lucyshyn (0-1). Rizzo singled, stole second and scored on a Blackford RBI single to give Southeastern a 4-0 advantage.
 
Buffalo scratched out a pair of runs in its half of the third on RBI singles by Abigail Vincent and Hannah Bardeen. Bardeen's two-out base knock had the potential to plate two runs, but Bodin gunned down Jenelle Martinez at the plate from left to keep the lead at 4-2.
 
The Bulls pulled even closer in the top of the fourth. Olivia Kincannon laced a double into the right centerfield gap to score Alexis Matheney and trim the Lady Lion advantage to 4-3.
 
Buffalo would get no closer. After Manzer singled with one out in the fifth, Bennett lined the next pitch over the left centerfield fence to give Southeastern a 6-3 lead.
 
After Sophie Hannabas tossed a scoreless top of the sixth for the Lady Lions, Southeastern ended the game in the bottom of the inning. Kraft opened the frame with a double and gave way to pinch runner Pryscilla Prince, who would eventually score the frame's first run on a wild pitch.
 
Bodin drew a walk and eventually scored on a double by Rizzo. Rizzo's extra-base hit was followed by a Blackford run-scoring triple. After a Manzer walk, Bennett hit a groundout to short that was good enough to score Blackford. With Manzer in scoring position, Watson singled up the middle to score Manzer and enforce the mercy rule.
 
Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 12, Alabama State 4
The Lady Lions wasted no time taking the lead versus the Lady Hornets in the bottom of the first inning. Mass walked, Rizzo and Blackford singled, then Manzer drew a walk to force in a run before ASU starter Vanessa Bradford (0-1) could record an out.
 
One out later, Watson drew a bases loaded walk of her own to score Rizzo. Later in the inning, a groundout by Kraft scored Blackford to give SLU a 3-0 lead.
 
Southeastern added to its lead in the bottom of the second. Goodman beat out a bunt single to lead off the inning, stole second and scored on a sharp single up the middle by Mass. Mass would later score on a sacrifice fly by Blackford to take a 5-0 advantage.
 
SLU broke the game wide open in the bottom of the third. Bennett doubled and Watson reached on an error to open the inning, then Kraft hit a towering shot well over the new 14-foot left field fence to clear the bases. Rizzo and Blackford each drove in runs to cap the inning and send Southeastern into the fourth inning with a commanding 10-0 lead.
 
Southeastern emptied the benches in the top of the fourth inning. Alabama State took advantage of three Lady Lion errors to cut the SLU lead to 10-4.
 
Goodman singled, stole second and third and scored on an error to get a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fifth, Manzer, Bennett, Bodin and Kraft recorded consecutive singles to score a run and enforce the mercy rule.
 
2020 Lion Classic – February 7-9, 2020 – North Oak Park
 
Friday, February 7
12 p.m. – Buffalo 4, UT Martin 3
2 p.m. – UT Martin 5, Buffalo 0
4 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana 11, Buffalo 3 (6 Innings)
6 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana 12, Alabama State 4 (5 Innings)
 
Saturday, February 8
10 a.m. – Grambling vs. Alabama State
12 p.m. – Alabama State vs. UT Martin
2 p.m. – Buffalo vs. Grambling
4 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Buffalo (Southeastern Sports Network)
6 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. UT Martin (Southeastern Sports Network)
 
Sunday, February 9
10 a.m. – Alabama State vs. Buffalo
12 p.m. – UT Martin vs. Grambling
2 p.m. – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Grambling (Southeastern Sports Network)
 
Home teams are underlined
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Softball, follow @LionUpSoftball 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 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.