CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana took the opening Southland Conference series with a pair of wins over league foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday afternoon at Chapman Field.
 
Southeastern (15-7. 2-1 Southland) started the day by closing out Friday's nightcap that was suspended due to darkness, 9-6, in 10 innings. In the rubber game of the series, SLU edged the Islanders (6-16, 1-2 Southland), 2-1.
 
Ella Manzer led SLU at the plate in game two of the series, finishing 3-for-4 with two home runs. Both Manzer and Ali McCoy drove in three runs in the victory. Alley McDonald (4-0) put in nine innings of work to earn the victory in the circle.
 
Aeriyl Mass recorded three hits in the series finale and scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh inning. McCoy also had her first home run of the season to key the SLU offense. MC Comeaux (5-1) did not allow an earned run in six innings of work in the circle, while McDonald tossed a scoreless seventh to earn her first save of 2020.
 
Up Next
Southeastern will return home to open a nine-game home stand on Wednesday, hosting Appalachian State at 5 p.m. at North Oak Park. The Southeastern Sports Network will offer a free video stream of Wednesday's game. 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.

Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 9, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 6 (10 Innings)
The Islanders took the lead early versus starter Heather Zumo, as the first three batters of the game reached with Sydney Hoyt singling home the game's first run. McDonald minimized the damage, striking out the next three batters to keep Southeastern down just 1-0.
 
McCoy gave Southeastern the lead versus Jenika Lombrana (4-6) in the top of the fourth inning. After two-out singles by Briahna Bennett and Audrey Greely, McCoy cleared the bases with a two-run double to give Southeastern a 2-1 advantage.
 
McDonald pitched out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the bottom of the fourth and the Lady Lions padded their lead in the top of the sixth inning. Manzer led off the frame with a solo shot over the centerfield fence. Later in the inning, Greely singled and scored on McCoy's second double of the contest to put SLU up, 4-1.
 
The lead would be short-lived, however, as Sammi Thomas tied the score with a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth. Thomas' bomb came with no outs, but McDonald shook it off and retired the next three batters to keep the score tied at 4-4.
 
Manzer allowed SLU to retake the lead in the top of the eighth inning. The Alexandria, Louisiana's second solo home run of the contest put Southeastern ahead, 5-4. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Tiara Lee singled home the tying run with two outs to keep the game going.
 
McDonald and Lombrana threw matching scoreless frames in the ninth inning and at that point the umpires suspended the game due to darkness.
 
Southeastern came out aggressively as the game resumed on Saturday in the top of the 10^th inning. Consecutive singles by Mass, Lindsey Rizzo, Madisen Blackford, Manzer and Bennett plated three runs, then Greely added a sacrifice fly that plated Manzer and gave SLU a 9-5 lead.
 
AMCC was able to scratch across and unearned run versus Comeaux in the bottom of the 10^th. Hoyt came to the plate with two outs representing the tying run, but Comeaux forced her to fly out to right field for the final out after a grueling 10-pitch at-bat.
 
Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 2, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 1
Comeaux and Islander starter Kandace Johnson (1-5) combined to strand 10 runners through the first four and a half innings before the Islanders broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Kennedy Jimenez led off the inning with a single and moved all the way to third on an error by Bennett. One out later, she scored on a sacrifice fly by Lee. Tiler Noyola followed with a triple, but Comeaux left her stranded, retiring Hoyt to keep the deficit at 1-0.
 
With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, McCoy ripped the first pitch she saw from Johnson over the right centerfield fence to tie the score at 1-1.
 
The Islanders threatened in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs and runners on first and second, Kennedy Jimenez singled to right, but Blackford gunned out Samantha Burke at home before she could score the go-ahead run.
 
SLU took the lead for good with a two-out rally in the top of the seventh. Consecutive singles by Mass and Rizzo put runners at the corners, then Johnson uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Mass to score and put the Lady Lions ahead, 2-1.
 
McDonald made the lead stand, as the preseason first team All-Southland pitcher needed just five pitches to record the game's final three outs.
 
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.