HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana University softball team earned a Southland Conference doubleheader sweep of Stephen F. Austin Friday evening at North Oak Park.
With Friday's wins, SLU (36-11, 16-4 SLC) remains tied with McNeese atop the Southland Conference standings. The visiting Lumberjacks fell to 23-21 overall and 12-8 in league play.
Britney Lewinski (6-4) scattered three hits and struck out nine batters in a complete-game effort in the opener, as SLU earned an 8-3 victory.
Shelby Morris led SLU at the play with a 3-for-4 showing and two RBI.
Maria Detillier,
Kailey Dixon and
Shenita Tucker added two hits apiece.
Southeastern scored eight runs in the fifth inning to earn an 11-3 mercy-rule victory in the nightcap. Detillier,
Cydnee Schneider,
Maddie Watson and
Colleen Kulivan had two hits apiece for the Lady Lions. In only her third at-bat as a Lady Lion,
Feline Poot hit a grand slam, while
Chloe Magee added three RBI in the win.
Macie LaRue (15-1) allowed two runs in 4.1 innings of relief to earn the win for SLU.
The series wraps up with a noon contest Saturday that will be seen on ESPN+ and can be heard online at
www.LionUpRadio.org. Southeastern will honor the 2025 senior class prior to the game in a Senior Day ceremony.
Game One – Southeastern 8, Stephen F. Austin 3
Stephen F. Austin took the early lead in the top of the first inning. A two-run home run by Hope Lusk gave SFA a 2-0 cushion.
After an SFA error allowed SLU to tie the game against Alexis Telford (8-4) in the bottom of the first, the Lady Lions took the lead for good in the bottom of the second. RBI singles by Dixon and Morris gave SLU a 4-2 lead.
Lewinski retired 14 in a row before the Lumberjacks pulled closer in the top of the sixth inning. Lusk hit a solo home run over the left field fence to cut the Southeastern lead to 4-3.
Southeastern lessened any chance of a SFA comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning. Morris singled home the inning's first run, then Tucker scored on a passed ball. Another run would score on a Magee ground out, then Schneider followed a Detillier double with an RBI single to put SLU up, 8-3.
Lewinski struck out the side in the top of the seventh to close out the victory.
Game Two – Southeastern 11, Stephen F. Austin 3 (5 Innings)
SFA again jumped on top in the top of the first inning. Ellie Vance singled home the first run of the game to give the Lumberjacks a 1-0 lead. LaRue came in with the bases loaded and two outs and was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout of Chloe Reneau.
SFA added to its advantage with two more runs in the top of the second inning. The Lumberjacks were poised to break the game open, but LaRue again managed an inning-ending strikeout to leave the bases loaded and keep the deficit at 3-0.
Southeastern was able to get on the board versus SFA starter Brooke Gainous in the bottom of the second inning. An RBI single by
Colleen Kulivan cut the lead to 3-1.
The Lady Lions nearly tied the game in the bottom of the third. With two outs and two runners in scoring position, Watson had a base hit that was destined to tie the score, but the ball hit Schneider on the base paths for the third out.
SLU would finally tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Magee hit a sharp single to left to score a pair at knot the contest at 3-3.
Southeastern ultimately won the game in its half of the fifth inning. Schneider led off the frame with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Watson. After SLU loaded the bases, Poot, who missed the first two months of the season with an injury, came in to pinch hit. After fouling off the first pitch, she hit a towering shot over the left field fence to give SLU an 8-0 lead.
Magee would drive in the next run, then scored when Detillier hit her team-high sixth triple of the season. Schneider followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Detillier and enforce the run-rule.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Softball, follow @LionUpSoftball on X and Instagram, like /SLUathletics 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
www.LionSports.net/tickets. 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.
