HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University softball team will look to continue its hot start to Southland Conference play when it hosts Texas A&M-Commerce for a three-game league series at North Oak Park.
 
The series between SLU (27-8, 4-2 SLC) and the visiting Lions (5-24, 1-5 SLC) opens with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Friday. Fans will have the opportunity to spin the prize wheel and enjoy postgame fireworks at Friday's game.
 
The series closes with a noon contest to open the day's action on Super Lion Saturday. Fans will have a chance to win prizes by playing Bingo at the Ballpark and kids will have a chance to run the bases postgame. The series will be televised on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at www.LionSports.net/sidearmstats/softball.
 
Southeastern has won its first two Southland Conference series, taking the first two games of three-game sets at Lamar and versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
The Lady Lions enter the home series with a .310 team batting average. Reigning Southland Conference Hitter of the Week Bailey Krolczyk is hitting .400 and leads a group of six SLU batters hitting above .300. Maria Detillier (.352), Audrey Greely (.329), Lexi Johnson (.324), Cam Goodman (.318) and Madison Rayner (.309) are the other top hitters for average for Southeastern.
 
Krolczyk leads the team and ranks second in the Southland with 38 hits, while Detillier has scored a league and team-high 29 runs. Goodman shares the conference's top spot with 18 stolen bases.
 
Krolczyk (.663, 2^nd), Johnson (.619, 4^th), Greely (.585, 6^th) and Detillier (.557, 8^th) all rank among the league leaders in slugging percentage. Johnson is second in the SLC with seven home runs and shares the conference lead with 33 RBI. Krolczyk is third in the Southland with a team-high eight doubles, while Johnson and Rayner sit in a tie for second with three triples each.
 
The triumvirate of KK Ladner (8-1, 1.32 ERA), Cera Blanchard (10-4, 2.65 ERA, 2 saves) and Mary-Cathryn (MC) Comeaux (5-2, 2.82 ERA, 1 save) have led a Lady Lio pitching staff that has a 2.72 team earned run average. Ladner, the reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week, leads the SLC with a 1.32 ERA and 103 strikeouts. Ladner (.185) and Blanchard (.217) boast the conference's two lowest opposing batting averages allowed.
 
The eight-person SLU pitching staff will face a Texas A&M-Commerce lineup that is hitting .207 as a team. Kaydee Bennett leads the visiting Lions with a .333 batting average, while Diamond Sefe has a team-high three home runs, five doubles and 14 RBI.
 
Five arms have combined for a 9.39 team ERA for AMC. Julia Sanchez (3-7, 6.08 ERA) and Anissa Arredondo (2-9, 7.05 ERA) are the primary arms for Texas A&M-Commerce.
 
Following this week's action, Southeastern will embark on a nine-game road swing. The extended time away from home opens with a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Jackson State next Tuesday.
 
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.