HAMMOND, La. – The Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana University softball team will open play at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional Friday at Rhoads Stadium.
 
Southeastern (45-13) will make its NCAA Tournament debut Friday, facing Clemson (34-17) at 1 p.m. The game will be televised on ACC Network and is also available on ESPN+. Friday's second game is slated for 3:30 p.m. and pits No. 14 national seed and host Alabama (33-17) versus USC Upstate (30-21).
 
SLU earned its first-ever appearance in the national tournament with a thrilling 8-7 victory over UIW in the championship game of the 2024 North Oaks Health System Southland Conference Softball Championship. Lexi Johnson hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to make history for the Lady Lions. Johnson, the SLC Tournament MVP, was joined on the all-tournament team by teammates Ka'Lyn Watson, Bailey Krolczyk, Maddie Watson and Cera Blanchard.
 
Southeastern, which has topped 40-plus wins for the third straight season, enters the postseason ranked in the top 20 in Division I in batting average (.343, 5^th), earned run average (1.82, 7^th), on-base percentage (.409, 10^th), runs per game (6.07, 20^th), shutouts (15, 10^th), stolen bases (169, 1^st), triples per game (0.40, 3^rd) and won-loss percentage (.776, 13^th). SLU, three-time defending national champion Oklahoma and the tournament's No. 1 overall seed Texas are the only three schools in Division I to rank in the top 10 in both batting average and ERA.
 
The Lady Lions has set new single-season school records for hits (506), triples (23) and shutouts. SLU placed a school-record five players on the first team All-Southland team, as Krolczyk, Blanchard, Ka'Lyn Watson, Chloe Magee and Audrey Greely earned first team honors. Southeastern's eight total All-SLC selections also established a new school standard, as Johnson, Ellie DuBois and Cam Goodman were all second-team selections.
 
Ka'Lyn Watson, the SLC Hitter of the Year, leads the team with a .402 batting average, 70 hits and a single-season school record 52 runs scored. Krolczyk (.393), Maria Detillier (.355), Chloe Magee (.347) and Johnson (.325) are the other top hitters for average for SLU.
 
The national leaders in stolen bases, Southeastern does much of its damage on the base paths. Ka'Lyn Watson leads the team with 30 stolen bases, while Magee (28), Goodman (25), Greely (18), Colleen Kulivan (17), Krolczyk (14) and Brilee Broussard (13) all have double-digit steals.
 
Johnson leads SLU with seven home runs. Krolczyk, who has tied her own single-season school record with 29 extra-base hits this spring, currently leads the Southland with 19 doubles and six triples. Detillier paces the roster with 45 RBI, followed closely by Krolczyk (41), Johnson (40) and Ka'Lyn Watson (37).
 
Blanchard (18-2, 1.58 ERA, 4 saves) and DuBois (14-5, 1.41 ERA) are the top arms for Southeastern, while Mary-Cathryn (MC) Comeaux (6-3, 2.37 ERA, 3 saves), Allison Brunson (3-2, 1.70 ERA, 1 save) and Chloe Bennett (4-1, 3.03 ERA, 1 save) have been effective out of the bullpen.
 
Southeastern's first foe of the week will be Clemson, which is hitting .297 as a team. Reigning National Player of the Year Valerie Cagle leads the team with a .365 batting average and 42 RBI, while Maddie Moore enters the postseason with 10 home runs.
 
The Tigers carry a 2.22 team ERA into regional play. Regan Spencer (10-4, 1.95 ERA, 1 save), Cagle (8-6, 2.39 ERA, 2 saves), Millie Thompson (6-5, 1.79 ERA, 1 save) and Brooke McCubbin (10-2, 2.61 ERA, 1 save) have all seen significant action in the circle.
 
The host Crimson Tide is hitting .251 as a team entering the postseason. Kenleigh Cahalan leads Alabama with a .293 batting average, while Marlie Giles, Abby Duchscherer and Jenna Johnson each have six home runs apiece.
 
Kayla Beaver (16-8, 1.78 ERA, 3 saves) is the ace of the Alabama staff, while Jocelyn Briski (7-5, 2.33 ERA), Jaala Torrence (7-3, 2.45 ERA) and Alea Johnson (3-1, 1.48 ERA, 3 saves) have all been key arms for the Crimson Tide.
 
USC Upstate enters the regional with a .269 team batting average and is second to SLU nationally with 167 stolen bases. Denver Lauer leads the Spartans with a .335 batting average and leads the nation with 43 stolen bases, while Carson Shaw paces the squad with five home runs.
 
Sierra Maness (13-10, 2.33 ERA, 1 save), Maddie Drerup (10-9, 3.31 ERA) and Alyssa Kelly (7-2, 2.66 ERA) are the main arms for a USC Upstate staff that carries a 2.78 team ERA.
 
Depending on Friday's results, Southeastern will play at either 2 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Sunday's times, as well as Saturday and Sunday's broadcast information is to be announced.
 
2024 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional | Rhoads Stadium | May 17-19, 2024 | Double-Elimination
 
Friday, May 17
Game 1 | Southeastern (V) vs. Clemson (H) | 1 p.m. | ACC Network
Game 2 | USC Upstate (V) vs. Alabama (H) | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+
 
Saturday, May 18
Game 3 | Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner | 2 p.m.
Game 4 | Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser | 4:30 p.m.
Game 5 | Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser | 7 p.m.
 
Sunday, May 19
Game 6 | Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner | TBD
Game 7 | Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary) | TBD
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Softball, follow @LionUpSoftball on X and Instagram, like /LionUpAthletics on Facebook.
 
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.
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit  . Southeastern offers mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.