HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University softball team will conclude a stretch of 21 games away from home this week with five games in the state of Mississippi.
 
SLU (18-2) carries an eight-game win streak and the best 20-game start in program history into this week's action, which opens with a 6 p.m. contest Wednesday at Southern Miss (14-3).
 
The Lady Lions then head north to Starkville, Mississippi for the Bulldog Invitational. SLU opens the tournament versus Mississippi State (16-5) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Friday will see Southeastern take on Omaha (10-5) at 10 a.m. and two-time defending national champion and current No. 1 Oklahoma (17-1) at 12:30 p.m. The Lady Lions close the tournament with an 11:30 a.m. game versus East Tennessee State Saturday.
 
Wednesday's game will air on ESPN+, while Thursday's game will be broadcast on SEC Network+. Live stats, provided by the hosts, for all of this week's action will be accessible via the softball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Southeastern currently boasts a .326 batting average, which leads the Southland Conference. Bailey Krolczyk paces the squad with a .415 average, followed by Lexi Johnson (.393) and Cam Goodman (.353). Johnson leads the team with 24 hits, while Goodman has scored a team-high 17 runs.
 
Johnson's league-high 25 RBI is good for 15^th in Division I as of Tuesday. Johnson also leads the team with four home runs, while Krolczyk, Audrey Greely, Madison Rayner and Maria Detillier have three apiece. Johnson and Rayner share team-high honors with two triples each, while Krolczyk has a team-high four doubles.
 
KK Ladner (5-1, 0.80 ERA) and Cera Blanchard (8-0, 1.66 ERA, 1 save) have been an effective tandem atop the SLU pitching staff, which carries an SLC-low 2.08 team ERA. Ladner leads the league in ERA and opposing batting average (.148), while Blanchard tops the conference leaderboard in wins. Mary-Cathryn (MC) Comeaux (3-0, 2.02 ERA, 1 save), Ellie DuBois (0-0, 4.04 ERA), Alyssa Romano (0-0, 2.00 ERA), Lainee Bailey (0-0, 4.20 ERA, 1 save), Leah Marshall (1-0, 2.80 ERA) and Chyanne Ellett (1-1, 10.50 ERA) round out a deep pitching staff.
 
Southeastern will need the pitching depth during a challenging week. USM is led at the plate by Jana Lee (.391, 13 RBI) and Natalie Taylor (4 HR). Morgan Leinstock (7-2, 1.26 ERA) is the ace of a Golden Eagle pitching staff that carries a 1.75 team ERA.
 
Lynsey Tucker (.383) leads Omaha in batting average, while Rachel Weber (3 HR, 15 RBI) is the top power threat. Kamryn Meyer (3-3, 1.24 ERA, 2 saves) and Sydney Nuismer (5-1, 3.64 ERA) are the primary arms for the Mavs.
 
Oklahoma features the nation's best team batting average at .391, as five Sooners are hitting .400 or above, led by Jocelyn Erickson (.568, 5 HR, 25 RBI). Nicole May (5-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 save) is one of four Sooner arms that carry a 0.93 team ERA into the tournament.
 
East Tennessee State is led at the plate by Sara Muir (.419, 5 HR, 11 RBI). Eight ETSU pitchers have combined for a 4.33 staff ERA with Brianna Bailey (2-3, 2.57 ERA) logging the most innings.
 
Following the week's action, Southeastern will return home to host No. 14 LSU for a 6 p.m. contest at North Oak Park. The game will feature the Flood the Field promotion as SLU students will receive free t-shirts and food while supplies last. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN+ and live stats will be available at LionSports.net/sidearmstats/softball.
 
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.