HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana softball team continued its hot streak with a pair of 3-2 victories over McNeese in a Southland Conference doubleheader Friday evening at North Oak Park.
 
With the two victories, the Lady Lions (23-13, 12-2 Southland) extended their win streak to seven matches. Southeastern also secured its fifth straight Southland Conference series victory with the wins over the visiting Cowgirls (18-21, 8-6 Southland).
 
In the opener, SLU entered its final at-bat facing a 2-1 deficit. Reigning LSWA Hitter of the Week Audrey Greely led off the bottom of the seventh with her third home run of the season to tie it up, then Karlee Kraft singled home Aeriyl Mass for the game-winning run.
 
Lady Lion ace Heather Zumo (13-2) won her seventh straight decision, allowing three hits and one earned run, fanning five in the complete-game effort.
 
Southeastern broke a scoreless tie with a three-run fourth inning in the nightcap. Sophie Hannabas (2-3) allowed three hits in four innings of work to earn the win in the circle. Ellie DuBois threw 2.2 innings of shutout relief to earn her sixth save of the season – adding to her single-season school record total.
 
Southeastern will look to complete its second straight series sweep on Saturday at 2 p.m. Live stats will be available at www.LionSports.net/sidearmstats/softball.
 
Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 3, McNeese 2
McNeese wasted no time taking an early lead. Cory McCrary hit the first pitch of the contest over the left field fence to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 advantage.
 
SLU tied the game up in the bottom of the first inning. Mass led off the frame with a single, moved to second on a groundout by Lindsey Rizzo, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a grounder off the bat of Madisen Blackford to knot the score at 1-1.
 
The Cowgirls took advantage of a pair of Lady Lion errors to plate an unearned run in the top of the third inning and take a 2-1 lead.
 
McNeese starter Whitney Tate maintained the lead, as SLU stranded six runners through the first six innings. Tate gave way to Ashley Vallejo (2-6) in the seventh and Greely led off the frame with a towering home run over the left field fence to tie the score.
 
One out later, Mass singled through the left side, stole second and scored the game-winning run when Kraft lined a pinch-hit single just over the head of Cowgirl second baseman Tayler Strother.
 
Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 3, McNeese 2
Hannabas and McNeese starter Saleen Flores (5-7) pitched out of jams through the first three innings, before SLU took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
Blackford singled, Flores hit Kelci Bodin and Anna Rodenberg singled to load the bases with one out. Cameron Beal then drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run. Bodin later scored when Greely reached on a fielder's choice. A Flores wild pitch allowed Beal to race home and give SLU a 3-0 lead.
 
McNeese answered right back with a pair of runs in top of the fifth inning. However, DuBois kept the lead by striking out Haylee Brinlee to maintain the 3-2 advantage.
 
The Cowgirls put the tying run on third with one out in the sixth, but DuBois again showed her mettle. The Shreveport, Louisiana native struck out Amy Reed and retired McCrary. DuBois sat down McNeese in order in the seventh to close out the doubleheader sweep.
 
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.