CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Southeastern Louisiana University softball team used an offensive onslaught to earn two wins on day two of the Chatty's Patty's Tournament Saturday at Frost Stadium.
SLU (18-8) extended its win streak to four games, combined for 22 runs and 24 hits in Saturday's victories. Southeastern opened the day with an 11-2 win over Bucknell (3-19) before closing the day with an 11-5 victory over host Chattanooga (14-13).
Audrey Greely was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored to lead a 12-hit attack in the opener.
Madisen Blackford drove in three runs, while
Madison Rayner scored three for SLU in the win over Bucknell.
KK Ladner (3-1) allowed one hit and no earned runs in three innings of work to earn her second win in as many days.
In the nightcap,
Bailey Krolczyk had three hits, while
Aeriyl Mass and
Lexi Johnson drove in two runs apiece. Mass also scored four runs, while Rayner scored three for the second straight game.
Heather Zumo (10-2) allowed three earned runs in five innings to earn the win in the circle versus the host Mocs.
SLU will close out the tournament Sunday at noon (CDT) against Chattanooga. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
Game One – Southeastern 11, Bucknell 2
The Lady Lions took the lead for good in the top of the first versus Bucknell starter Hunter Vestal (0-1). Rayner scored on a Blackford groundout to give SLU a 1-0 cushion.
Southeastern padded its advantage in the top of the second. Consecutive singles by Greely,
Sarah Diaz and Mass loaded the bases. A couple of errors and a Johnson sacrifice fly allowed the Lady Lions to extend their lead to 4-0.
SLU busted the game open in its half of the third. The first two runs of the frame came home on a Bucknell error. Later in the inning, Rayner, Blackford and
Maddie Watson all doubled home runs while Krolczyk had an RBI of her own in a seven-run inning that gave Southeastern an 11-0 lead.
Bucknell took advantage of a Southeastern error to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. The Bison would get no closer, as
Leah Marshall threw a scoreless fourth before giving way to
Alexis Findley, who shut the door in the fifth. Both Marshall and Findley were making their Southeastern debuts.
Game Two – Southeastern 11, Chattanooga 5
Mass and Rayner drew consecutive walks against Chattanooga starter Izzy Alley (3-7) to open the game. One out later, a Krolczyk single and a Moc error scored both Mass and Rayner, then Krolczyk came home on a Blackford sacrifice fly to put SLU up, 3-0.
After a Acelynn Sellers home run cut the lead to 3-2, Southeastern came right back with three more runs in the second. An RBI single by Rayner coupled with a two-base error by Chattanooga centerfielder Gracey Kruse allowed two runs to score. Rayner would come home on a Johnson foul out to put the Lady Lions ahead, 6-2.
For the second straight game, SLU broke open the game with a big third inning. A two-run single by Mass, an error by Kruse and an RBI from Johnson staked SLU to a commanding 10-2 advantage.
Chattanooga plated a run in the third and two more in the fourth, but would get no closer. Mass walked, stole second and scored on a Chattanooga error to close out the scoring in the fifth.
Ellie DuBois tossed a scoreless sixth, while MC Comeaux stranded a pair of Mocs in the seventh to lock down the win.
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.
