Box Score

HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana University softball team dropped its series opener to Nicholls, 9-7, Friday night at North Oak Park.
 
SLU (42-12, 20-5 SLC) and Nicholls (28-21, 18-7 SLC) were scheduled to play a doubleheader Friday, but a nearly four-hour weather delay only allowed for one game to be played. The series will wrap with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday.
 
In the loss, Colleen Kulivan hit her first home run of the season for the Lady Lions, as she, Cydnee Schneider, Maddie Watson and Brilee Broussard led SLU with two hits apiece. Nicholls touched up Southeastern pitchers Britney Lewinski, Hallie Burns and Macie LaRue (17-2) for 16 hits in the win.
 
Southeastern took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Two errors led to the inning's first run, then Maria Detillier singled home Chloe Magee to stake the Lady Lions to the early advantage.
 
SLU doubled its lead in the bottom of the second inning. Shenita Tucker singled home Kulivan, then Broussard scored later in the frame on an RBI groundout by Shelby Morris.
 
Nicholls got on the board in the third, then lightning in the area pulled the teams off the field with one out in the top of the fourth and a pair of runners in scoring position. After the lengthy delay, consecutive RBI singles by Carmella Muccilli and Laylin Sturm cut the SLU lead to 4-3.
 
Southeastern added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Schneider led the inning off with a single, then one out later, Watson doubled her home. Kulivan followed with a towering shot to straight away centerfield to give SLU a 7-3 advantage.
 
Nicholls answered right back with four runs in the sixth to tie the score, then plated a pair of unearned runs in the top of the seventh to take its first lead of the game. A Brilee Ford single is all SLU could manage in the bottom of the seventh off Nicholls reliever Averi Paden (9-6), as the Colonels closed out the comeback victory.
 
Saturday's doubleheader will be televised on ESPN+ and can be heard live online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive2.
 
SLU will need one win in the three-game set to secure home-field advantage for one of the two bracket play rounds of the Southland Conference Tournament. For the first time, the top two seeds in the SLC standings will host four-team, double-elimination brackets. The No. 1 seed will host the 4,5 and 8 seeds, while the second seed will host seeds 3,6 and 7, May 1-4. The winners of the two brackets will advance to the championship series, hosted by the highest remaining seed, May 8-10.
 
Southeastern is locked in to no lower than the third seed in the tournament. If SLU wins one game versus the Colonels Saturday, it will be no lower than the No. 2 seed. If the Lady Lions win one more game than McNeese does in its three-game series at SFA, Southeastern will be the No. 1 seed. If Southeastern is swept by Nicholls, SLU falls to the No. 3 seed and would travel to Nicholls, which would host a four-team bracket as the No. 2 seed.
 
NICH – 001 204 2 – 9 16 2 (28-21, 18-7 SLC)
SLU – 220 030 0 – 7 12 2 (42-12, 20-5 SLC)
Molly Yoo, Averi Paden (5) and Brynne Songy. Britney Lewinski, Hallie Burns (3), Macie LaRue (4) and Cydnee Schneider. HR – SLU: Colleen Kulivan. 2B – NICH: Riley Rutherford 2, Carmella Muccilli, Lilianna Robledo; SLU: Maddie Watson. T – 2:15. A – 151.
 
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.