HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team suffered its first two losses of the season on Saturday on day three of the Lion Classic at Mike Darouse Field on the campus of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
 
In the opener, Southeastern (3-2) dropped a 9-3 decision to South Dakota (1-4). Ellie DuBois (0-1) took the loss in the circle for SLU, but led the Lady Lions at the plate with a 2-for-3, two-RBI performance.
 
Southeastern ran into a buzz saw in the final game of the day, as North Texas ace Hope Trautwein (1-0) struck out 21 Lady Lions in a 6-2 victory for the Mean Green (1-1). Ella Manzer, Kelci Bodin, Cameron Goodman, Briahna Bennett and Aeriyl Mass all collected hits in the loss. MC Comeaux (1-1) took the loss in the circle for Southeastern, scattering six hits and striking out seven in 6.1 innings of work.
 
The tournament closes with an 11 a.m. game between Nicholls and South Dakota. Live stats for Sunday's game will be available at www.LionSports.net/sidearmstats/softball.
 
Southeastern will return to action on Wednesday, traveling to face Mississippi State at 4 p.m. in Starkville, Mississippi. The game will be televised live on SEC Network+.
 
Game One – South Dakota 9, Southeastern Louisiana 3
Southeastern jumped out to a lead versus the Coyotes in the bottom of the first inning. A pair of errors led to the first run of the frame, then DuBois roped a double into the right centerfield gap to plate two more runs and give SLU a 3-0 lead.
 
SLU starter Alyssa Romano held USD hitless through the first three innings, before South Dakota got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. RBI by Jordyn Pender and Courtney Wilson cut the lead to 3-2.
 
South Dakota took the lead for good in the top of the fifth inning, taking advantage of a SLU error to take a 4-3 lead. The Coyotes broke open the game in the top of the sixth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate in a five-run frame that extended the USD advantage to 9-3.

USD starter Sarah Lisko (1-1) made the lead stand, pitching out of trouble and stranding eight Lady Lion base runners over the final four innings to secure the complete-game victory.
 
Game Two – North Texas 6, Southeastern Louisiana 2
A five-run second inning was more than enough for Trautwein, who struck out 12 straight Lady Lions until Audrey Greely drew a two-out walk in the top of the fifth inning.
 
The Mean Green added an insurance run on an RBI double by Tayla Evans in the top of the sixth inning.
 
Southeastern finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh inning. Bodin singled up the middle, stole second, moved to third on a Goodman bunt single and scored on a throwing error. Mass then followed with a triple to centerfield to score Goodman and cut the lead to 6-2. SLU would get no closer, as Trautwein struck out Lindsey Rizzo to closed out the victory.
 
2021 Lion Classic – Hammond, Louisiana – Mike Darouse Field (St. Thomas Aquinas High School)
 
Thursday, February 11
Southeastern Louisiana 11, South Dakota 0 (5 Innings)
 
Friday, February 12
Southeastern Louisiana 14, South Dakota 9
Southeastern Louisiana 17, South Dakota 15
 
Saturday, February 13
Nicholls 9, North Texas 7
Nicholls 17, South Dakota 1 (5 Innings)
South Dakota 9, Southeastern Louisiana 3
North Texas 6, Southeastern Louisiana 2
 
Sunday, February 14
11 a.m. - South Dakota vs. Nicholls
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. Southeastern is implementing mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets for the 2020-21 season. All tickets will be available via e-mail and text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
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.