HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team returns home to open a nine-game home stand on Wednesday, hosting Appalachian State for a 5 p.m. nonconference contest at North Oak Park.
 
The Southeastern Sports Network will offer a free video stream of Wednesday's game between the Lady Lions (15-7) and the visiting Mountaineers (12-9). 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).
 
The first 100 fans through the gates can enjoy free wings for Wingin' It Wednesday. In addition, it will be Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night, as all SLU faculty and staff with a current, valid Southeastern ID will receive free two tickets to the contest.
 
Wednesday will also feature a Cane's Challenge at North Oak Park. If the Lady Lion score three or more runs versus ASU, fans can redeem their game ticket or student coupon at participating Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers to receive a free combo with the purchase of another of greater or equal value.
 
Southeastern returns home after opening Southland Conference play by taking two of three games at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Lady Lions won the final two games to take the opening league series for both teams.
 
SLU carries a .329 team batting average and features nine regulars with a .300-plus batting average. Madisen Blackford leads the team with a .397 batting average and 25 hits, while Lindsey Rizzo (.377), Aeriyl Mass (.371), Kelci Bodin (.364) and Audrey Greely (.347) round out the team's top five hitters for average.
 
Ella Manzer paces Southeastern with three home runs, while Briahna Bennett and Karlee Kraft have two apiece. Manzer also tops the team with five doubles, while Blackford has a team-high three triples and 19 RBI.
 
The Lady Lions top the Southland and rank second in Division I with 65 stolen bases on the season. Mass (16, 2^nd), Rizzo (15, 4^th) and Cameron Goodman (12, 5^th) rank in the top five on the conference's stolen base leaderboard. Mass also has a league-high 23 runs scored.
 
Opponents are batting .286 against a Southeastern pitching staff that has a 3.05 team earned run average. MC Comeaux (5-1, 0.78 ERA, 1 save) and Alley McDonald (4-0, 3.03 ERA, 1 save) are the top arms for SLU, while Sophie Hannabas (2-1, 3.92 ERA, 1 save), Heather Zumo (2-2, 4.47 ERA) and Tanner Wright (1-1, 1.91 ERA) have also seen significant action in the circle for the Lady Lions.
 
Appalachian State comes to Hammond with a .255 batting average. Gabby Buruato leads the Mountaineers with a .340 batting average, while Baylee Morton has a team-high five home runs and 19 RBI. Kenzie Longanecker (4-5, 2.67 ERA) and Sydney Holland (7-2, 1.66 ERA) are the top arms for an ASU pitching staff that has a 2.81 team ERA.
 
Up Next
Southeastern will host Houston Baptist for a three-game Southland Conference series this week at North Oak Park. The series opens with a 5 p.m. contest on Friday and concludes on Saturday with a 12 p.m. doubleheader.
 
The Southeastern Sports Network will offer a free video stream of the series. 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).
 
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.