HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University softball team opened its Southland Conference schedule with a doubleheader sweep of UIW Friday evening at North Oak Park.
SLU (22-10, 2-0 SLC) has now opened league play with a series win in each of the past four seasons. The Lady Lions earned a 4-2 victory over UIW (11-22, 2-3 SLC) in the opener before closing the day with a 9-1 mercy rule win in the nightcap.
In the opener,
Madison Rayner broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run in a four-run third inning to help propel Southeastern to victory.
KK Ladner,
Mary-Cathryn (MC) Comeaux (7-3) and
Alyssa Romano combined to hold the visiting Cardinals to four hits in the victory.
Maddie Watson was 4-for-4 at the plate and tied a single-game school record with seven RBI for SLU in the nightcap. A 12-hit attack was more than enough support for Lady Lion ace
Heather Zumo (11-3), who scattered three hits and struck out four in a complete-game effort.
Southeastern and UIW will close out the series with a noon contest Saturday that will be televised on ESPN+. As part of Alumni Weekend, any former Lady Lions in attendance will be honored prior to the game.
Game One – Southeastern 4, UIW 2
Ladner and UIW starter Ashley Trapp (3-5) held the opposing lineups hitless until SLU broke through in the bottom of the third inning.
Cam Goodman drew a leadoff walk and then scored one out later when Rayner lined a two-run home run just inside the right field foul pole to put Southeastern ahead, 2-0.
An RBI single by
Madisen Blackford and a Cardinal error allowed the Lady Lions stretch the lead to 4-0 after a frame that saw nine batters come to the plate.
Ladner and Comeaux held UIW scoreless until the top of the sixth. The Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs, then Maddie Boldt blooped a single just inside the right field line to plate two and cut the lead to 4-2.
Comeaux forced Abby Frank to ground out to keep the lead at two. Romano entered and retired UIW in order in the seventh to earn her first save of the season.
Game Two – Southeastern 9, UIW 1 (6 Innings)
Southeastern wasted no time taking the lead in the bottom of the first inning against Cardinal pitcher Madison Floyd (2-3). Rayner and
Lexi Johnson drew consecutive walks, then
Bailey Krolczyk singled to load the bases with one out. One out later, Watson ripped a double into the left centerfield gap, clearing the bases and giving SLU a 3-0 lead.
Blackford doubled with one out in the bottom of the third then scored on an RBI single by Watson to stretch the lead to 4-0.
The Cardinals got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Savannah Behabetz drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored all the way from second on an RBI ground out by Bela Sanchez. Zumo steeled herself and retired Aaliyah Sanchez to keep SLU's lead at 4-1.
UIW would get no closer. In the bottom of the fifth, Blackford tripled just out of the reach of a diving Boldt in left field, then scored on Watson's third run-scoring hit of the game that extended the Lady Lion advantage to 5-1.
Southeastern ended the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Goodman and
Aeriyl Mass singled, then Rayner drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Johnson then drew a bases loaded walk to force in a run. Blackford followed one out later with an RBI single to score Rayner.
Watson then walked it off, singling home Johnson and Krolczyk to enforce the run rule. Watson's seven RBI matched the previous school mark set by former Lady Lions Rebecca De la Garza (2007) and Dee Rancher (1999).
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.
