HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University softball team shook off early 4-0 deficits in both of its wins on day two of Lion Classic I Saturday evening at North Oak Park.
Southeastern (3-0) opened the day's action with a 6-5 win over Southeast Missouri (2-2). The Lady Lions then finished with a 12-5 victory over Alabama A&M (1-3) in the nightcap.
After a digging an early 4-0 hole against SEMO, Southeastern rallied against reigning Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year Rachel Rook (1-1), who finished 20-9 last season for the Redhawks.
Lexi Johnson led an 11-hit Southeastern attack against Southeast Missouri, going 3-for-3 with two home runs and a triple.
Maddie Watson homered as well, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
Heather Zumo (2-0) scattered six hits and struck out four in 5.1 innings of relief to earn the win in the circle.
After struggling in Saturday's opener,
Mary-Cathryn (MC) Comeaux (1-0) was lights out in the nightcap, throwing three innings of shutout relief and striking out four in the win over Alabama A&M.
The Lady Lions fell behind, 4-0, in the top of the first inning, but answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead and never trailed again. SLU finished with 15 hits in the win over the Bulldogs.
Madisen Blackford and
Cam Goodman collected three hits each. Blackford also led Southeastern with three RBI, while Johnson, Watson and
Madison Rayner each drove in two runs.
"I challenged our team that we were going to face a really good pitcher (against SEMO) and I was really pleased with how we responded after getting down early," Southeastern head coach
Rick Fremin said. "We had success with our short game, our base running and our ability to hit for power today, which was encouraging to see.
"In the circle, MC had a really strong outing in the nightcap and Ellie (DuBois) looked great to close out the win after Heather pitched a very good game in the opener," Fremin added. "We have a special group and we're excited to get on the road and test ourselves against some tough opponents."
Southeastern will be away from home for remainder of the month of February, starting with a trip to the Troy Cox Invitational in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Southeastern opens the tournament with a 10 a.m. game versus Northern Colorado Friday.
Game One – Southeastern 6, Southeast Missouri 5
Both teams stranded runners in the opening inning, before the Redhawks took an early lead versus Comeaux in the top of the second inning. Kynzie Wrigley, Jillian Anderson and Kaylee Anderson all drove in runs to chase the Lady Lion starter and take a 4-0 lead.
Southeastern faced an uphill climb versus Rook, who finished 20-9 last season and debuted with a 12-strikeout shutout of Alabama A&M Friday. Johnson got SLU's bats going in the bottom of the second, drumming a solo shot over the high left field fence to lead off the frame.
One out later, Watson hit a high pop up in front of the circle that Rook and Karsyn Davis misplayed into a three-base error. Watson would score on a sacrifice fly by
Blaire Bizette to cut the lead to 4-2.
Zumo and Rook matched zeroes until SLU took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth inning. Johnson led off the inning with a towering shot over the centerfield fence.
Bailey Krolczyk followed with a double to put the tying run in scoring position.
Watson then laid down a perfect bunt single with the hustling Krolczyk scoring all the way from second. Later in the frame, Goodman beat out a two-out bunt single, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Mass that gave SLU a 5-4 lead.
The Redhawks put a pair on with one out in the top of the fifth inning against Zumo. However, Krolczyk gunned down pinch runner Kelby Robinson trying to steal third for the second out and Zumo retired Davis to get out of the inning with the lead.
Watson gave Southeastern an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. The freshman lined a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to pad the SLU cushion to 6-4 with her first collegiate home run.
The insurance run was much needed, as a two-out RBI single by Chelsy Pena pulled the Redhawks within, 6-5. Zumo recovered and forced Sydney Dennis to fly out to Goodman for the game's final out.
Game Two – Southeastern 12, Alabama A&M 5
Alabama A&M jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning versus SLU starter
KK Ladner. The Bulldogs collected four hits and took advantage of a Lady Lion error to jump out to the early advantage.
The lead would be short-lived, as Southeastern tagged Esperanza Coe (1-2) for five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Blackford and Watson each recorded two-run doubles before an AAMU error allowed Watson to score the go-ahead run.
Alabama A&M tied the game up in the second inning, before SLU took the lead for good in its half of the fourth. A two-run double by Rayner broke the tie, then Johnson and Bizette drove in runs to put Southeastern up, 9-5. In the fifth inning,
Lindsey Rizzo, Blackford and Johnson collected consecutive RBI to stretch the Lady Lion advantage to 12-5.
Comeaux made it stand up, retiring all 10 batters she faced. DuBois came in and struck out the side in the top of the seventh inning to close out a perfect opening weekend for the Lady Lions.
2022 Lion Classic I Schedule – Feb. 11-13 – North Oak Park – Hammond, La.
Friday, February 11
Southeast Missouri 13, Alabama A&M 0 (5 Innings)
Alabama A&M 9, Nicholls 6
Southeastern 6, Southeast Missouri 2
Saturday, February 12
Nicholls 7, Alabama A&M 3
Southeast Missouri 13, Nicholls 5 (5 Innings)
Southeastern 6, Southeast Missouri 5
Southeastern 12, Alabama A&M 5
Sunday, February 13
11 a.m. – Southeast Missouri (home) vs. Nicholls
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.
