HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana's Cameron Goodman singled home Audrey Greely for the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the fifth-seeded Lady Lions a 4-3 extra-inning victory over No. 8 Abilene Christian on the opening day of the 2021 Southland Conference Softball Tournament Wednesday night at St. Thomas Aquinas High School.
 
With the victory, SLU (28-21) advanced to the double-elimination portion of the bracket. ACU finishes the season with a 14-33 overall record.
 
Southeastern will now advance to face fourth-seeded Northwestern State at 1:30 p.m. Tournament officials will evaluate the playing field at North Oak Park Thursday morning to determine if the tournament can return to the Lady Lions' home facility. If the game is at North Oak Park, the contest will be televised on ESPN+.
 
In her first career tournament game, Greely was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate to lead an 11-hit Southeastern attack. Goodman, Aeriyl Mass, Madisen Blackford and Anna Rodenberg all drove in runs for the Lady Lions, backing up a complete-game effort by SLU ace Heather Zumo (16-6), who gave up two earned runs in eight innings of work.
 
SLU took a 1-0 lead versus ACU pitcher Samantha Bradley (10-14) in the bottom of the first inning. Mass drew a leadoff walk and scored one out later on an RBI single by Blackford to put Southeastern up, 1-0.
 
The Lady Lions doubled their lead in the bottom of the second inning with a two-out rally. Greely beat out a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a Wildcat error and scored when Mass beat out an infield single to give SLU a 2-0 advantage.
 
A Lady Lion error allowed ACU to pull within, 2-1, in the top of the third inning. SLU got the run back in the bottom of the frame, as Madison Watson doubled down the left field line and moved to third on a Wildcat error. Watson gave way to pinch runner Shelby Sitzman and scored on a RBI groundout by Rodenberg to extend the Southeastern lead to 3-1.
 
In the top of the fourth, ACU put a pair of runners on with one out. However, Zumo kept the lead at two runs by striking out Katelyn Belch and Kayla Keeling to end the threat.
 
Southeastern loaded the bases in its half of the fourth inning to give itself a chance to break the game open. Bradley held firm, retiring Rodenberg to keep ACU within striking distance.
 
The Wildcats took advantage of SLU leaving 10 on base through the first five innings with a two-out rally in the top of the sixth inning. Back-to-back doubles by Bradley and Avery Miloch, followed by an RBI single by Belch tied the score.
 
Bradley and Zumo held the respective lineups at bay until SLU ended it in the bottom of the eighth. Greely led off the frame with a triple to the right centerfield gap. Goodman followed with a shot over the head of ACU centerfielder Caroline Adair to plate Greely with the winning run.
 
ACU – 001 002 00 – 3 8 4 (14-33)
SLU – 111 000 01 – 4 11 1 (28-21)
Samantha Bradley and Kayla Keeling. Heather Zumo and Madisen Blackford. W – Zumo (16-6). L – Bradley (10-14). 3B – SLU: Audrey Greely (2). 2B – ACU: Shaylee Alani (12), Samantha Bradley (6), Avery Miloch (4); SLU: Madison Watson (5). T – 2:30. A – 222.
 
2021 Southland Conference Softball Tournament
May 12-15 | Hammond, La.
 
Wednesday, May 12
Game 1 – No. 7 Sam Houston 4, No. 6 Houston Baptist 3 (HBU eliminated)
Game 2 – No. 5 Southeastern Louisiana 4, No. 8 Abilene Christian 3 (8 Innings) (ACU eliminated)

Thursday, May 13
11 a.m. – Game 3 – No. 3 McNeese vs. Sam Houston (Start of double-elimination for rest of tournament)
1:30 p.m. – Game 4 – No. 4 Northwestern State vs. Southeastern Louisiana
4 p.m. – Game 5 – No. 2 Central Arkansas vs. Winner Game 3
6:30 p.m. – Game 6 – No. 1 Stephen F. Austin vs. Winner Game 4
 
Friday, May 14
11 a.m. – Game 7 – Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5
1:30 p.m. – Game 8 – Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 6
4 p.m. – Game 9 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
6:30 p.m. – Game 10 – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8
 
Saturday, May 15 (Championship)
11 a.m. – Game 11 – Loser Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10
1 p.m. – Game 12 – Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11
 
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.