Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team battled to a doubleheader split with Southland Conference foe Sam Houston Saturday afternoon at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
 
The Lady Lions (24-15, 13-4 Southland) opened the day with a 13-0 victory. In the nightcap, the host Bearkrats (12-23, 9-8 Southland) rallied for an 8-0 win.
 
Aeriyl Mass and Cameron Goodman drove in three runs apiece for the Lions in the dominant win in the opener, as the Lady Lions took advantage of 12 walks allowed by Bearkat pitching. SLU ace Heather Zumo (14-2) tossed five scoreless innings to earn the complete-game shutout victory.
 
Sam Houston bounced back in the nightcap, using a four-run first inning to fuel a nightcap victory. Goodman led SLU with two hits in the day's final game.
 
The rubber game of the series is set for Sunday at noon. Live stats, provided by Sam Houston, will be accessible on the softball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 13, Sam Houston 0 (5 Innings)
Southeastern took the lead for good in the top of the second inning. Audrey Greely drove in the inning's first run, then Mass cleared the bases with a bases loaded double. One batter later, Madisen Blackford singled home Mass to stake the Lady Lions to a 5-0 advantage.
 
SLU blew the game open with a seven-run top of the fourth inning. Mass stole home, Madison Watson drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run and Karlee Kraft singled home a pair of runs in the frame. Goodman drove in the inning's final three runs on a bases loaded double to put Southeastern ahead, 12-0.
 
Lindsey Rizzo scored in the top of the fifth to provide the final margin. Zumo was never threatened, as the Baton Rouge native never allowed multiple runners on base in the same inning on the way to the shutout win.
 
SLU – 050 71 – 13 6 1 (24-14, 13-3 SLC)
SAM – 000 00 – 0 3 2 (11-23, 9-8 SLC)
Heather Zumo and Madisen Blackford. Reagan Dunn, Darby Fitzpatrick (4), Taylor Bachmeyer (4), Christine Billmeier (5) and Hannah Scheaffer. W – Zumo (14-2). L – Dunn (5-7). 2B – SLU: Aeriyl Mass (6), Cameron Goodman (1); SAM: Kyndal Kutac (6). T – 1:40. A – 115.
 
Game Two – Sam Houston State 8, Southeastern Louisiana 0 (6 Innings)
Sam Houston scored all the runs it would need in the bottom of the first inning off SLU starter Sophie Hannabas (2-4). A two-run double by Kylie Hobbs, followed by a two-run home run by Brooke Malia put the Bearkats up, 4-0.
 
Southeastern's best scoring chance against SHSU's Mika Vento (6-5) came in the top of the fifth inning. Singles by Anna Rodenberg and Cameron Goodman put a pair of runners on with two outs, but Vento retired Mass to keep SLU scoreless.
 
The Bearkats plated a run in the third and two in the fifth, before adding another run in the sixth to enforce the mercy rule.
 
SLU – 000 000 – 0 4 4 (24-15, 13-4 SLC)
SAM – 401 021 – 8 11 0 (12-23, 9-8 SLC)
Sophie Hannabas, MC Comeaux (1) and Madisen Blackford. Mika Vento and Hannah Scheaffer. W – Vento (6-5). L – Hannabas (2-4). HR – SAM: Brooke Malia. 2B – SAM: Kylie Hobbs. T – 1:35. A – 115.
 
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.