HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University softball team extended its winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep of Jackson State in nonconference action Tuesday at North Oak Park.
SLU (25-10) capped an undefeated home stand with a pair of victories. The Lady Lions opened the day with a 5-1 victory over JSU (17-17), before earning a 9-0 shutout run-rule win in the nightcap.
Madison Rayner and
Cam Goodman each had three hits to lead the Lady Lions in the opener. Rayner finished the contest with four RBI, while Goodman scored two runs.
Alexis Findley (2-0) allowed one hit over four shutout innings to earn the win in the circle.
Rayner and
Lindsey Rizzo each had two hits in the nightcap, as Rayner and
Madisen Blackford each drove in two runs, while
Aeriyl Mass hit her first home run of 2022.
Mary-Cathryn (MC) Comeaux (8-3),
KK Ladner and
Leah Marshall combined to hold JSU to four hits in SLU's ninth shutout victory of the year.
Next up, Southeastern will open the road portion of its Southland Conference schedule with a three-game series at McNeese. The series opens with a 6 p.m. contest Friday and concludes Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. Friday's game will be televised on ESPN+ and live video (Cowboy Insider paid subscription required) for Saturday's game will be accessible at
www.McNeeseSports.com.
Game One – Southeastern 5, Jackson State 1
Southeastern wasted no time taking the lead in the bottom of the first inning against JSU starter Victoria Salazar (4-4). Doubles by Rayner and
Maddie Watson staked the Lady Lions to a 1-0 lead.
SLU's excellent short game helped extend the lead in the bottom of the second. Consecutive bunt singles by
Audrey Greely, Goodman and Mass loaded the bases with two outs. Rayner promptly ripped a double to right field to clear the bases and put Southeastern on top, 4-0.
The Lady Lions closed out their scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning. Goodman led off the frame with a single, stole second and scored one out later on an RBI single by Rayner to make it 5-0 in favor of Southeastern.
JSU scored an unearned run in the top of the sixth inning off
Alyssa Romano to cut the SLU advantage to 5-1. The Lady Tigers would get no closer, as
Ellie DuBois closed the game with a scoreless seventh.
Game Two – Southeastern 9, Jackson State 0 (5 Innings)
Much like the opener, SLU got on the board first thanks to doubles by Rayner and Watson. Blackford singled home Watson to put Southeastern up, 2-0, against Jackson State pitcher Leah Hopson (0-3).
An RBI groundout by
Sadie Hewitt scored
Lindsey Rizzo in the bottom of the second. Later in the inning, Mass launched a home run over the right field fence to give the Lady Lions a 4-0 cushion.
Lexi Johnson led off the SLU third with a double and scored one out later on an RBI groundout by Blackford to put Southeastern up, 5-0.
Jackson State loaded the bases to chase Comeaux from the game with two outs in the top of the fourth inning. Ladner helped Southeastern maintain the shutout, striking out Salazar.
Southeastern batted around in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the game out of reach. A two-run triple by Rayner, a JSU error and an RBI single by DuBois extended the SLU lead to 9-0. Marshall threw a quick scoreless frame to help the Lady Lions enforce the run rule.
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.
