HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion Southeastern Louisiana University softball team split a Southland Conference doubleheader with Nicholls to close out the regular season Saturday at North Oak Park.
With its 5-3 victory in the opening game of the day, SLU (43-13, 21-6 SLC) secured one of the top two seeds in the Southland Conference standings and will host one of the two four-team brackets starting Thursday at North Oak Park.
In the opener,
Chloe Magee hit an inside-the-park home run, while
Cydnee Schneider drove in a pair of runs to lead SLU to victory.
Lainee Bailey (4-1) allowed three hits in five innings of work to earn the win, while
Britney Lewinski tossed a scoreless seventh to earn her fourth save of the season.
Maddie Watson hit her second home run of the season in the nightcap, as she and
Shenita Tucker had two hits apiece for Southeastern in a 4-2 loss.
Hallie Burns (11-5) allowed three runs in five innings of work to take the loss.
Southeastern will be the No. 2 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament and will host third-seeded Nicholls (29-22, 19-8 SLC), as well as the still-to-be determined No. 6 and seventh-seeded HCU in next week's bracket play, while top seed McNeese will host the No. 4, 5 and 8 seeds in Lake Charles.
The winners of each bracket will face off in a best two-of-three championship series May 8-10 hosted by the highest remaining seed. All Southland Conference Tournament games will air on ESPN+.
Game One – Southeastern 5, Nicholls 3
Southeastern scored first in the bottom of the second inning off Nicholls starter Molly VandenBout (5-6). An RBI triple by
Colleen Kulivan plated pinch runner
Kailey Dixon and put SLU up, 1-0.
The Lady Lions added to their lead in the bottom of the third inning. Magee ripped a ball into the left field corner and raced all the way home for an inside-the-park home run and a 2-0 Southeastern cushion.
Nicholls finally got to Bailey in top of the fifth inning. Laylin Sturm singled home the Colonels' first run and cut the lead to 2-1.
SLU answered right back in the bottom of the fifth.
Brilee Broussard led off the inning with a single, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Tucker. Later in the inning, Schneider doubled home a pair of runs to put Southeastern up, 5-1.
Nicholls cut the lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning, but would get no closer. Lewinski shook off an error to lead off the seventh, retiring the top three batters in the Colonel order to secure the win.
NICH – 000 012 0 – 3 5 1 (28-22, 18-8 SLC)
SLU – 011 030 x – 5 7 1 (43-12, 21-5 SLC)
Molly VandenBout, Sierra Ouellette (5) and Brynne Songy.
Lainee Bailey,
Allison Brunson (6),
Britney Lewinski (7) and
Cydnee Schneider. W – Bailey (4-1). L – VandenBout (5-6). Save – Lewinski (4). HR – SLU:
Chloe Magee. 3B – NICH: Claire Sisco; SLU:
Colleen Kulivan. 2B – NICH: Brynne Songy; SLU:
Cydnee Schneider. T – 1:46. A – 151.
Game Two – Nicholls 4, Southeastern 2
Burns and Nicholls starter Averi Paden (10-6) matched zeroes until the Colonels struck first in the fifth inning. VandenBout powered a three-run home run over the left field fence to give the Colonels a 3-0 lead.
SLU answered in the bottom of the frame. Watson led off the inning with her second home run of the season, as her solo shot slid just inside the left field foul pole to pull the Lady Lions within, 3-1.
Southeastern pulled closer in the sixth.
Maria Detillier doubled to lead off the inning to chase Paden from the game and later scored on a sacrifice fly by
Brilee Ford to cut the Nicholls lead to 3-2.
Nicholls added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. SLU put a pair of runners on with one out, but Colonel reliever Sierra Ouellette stranded the runners to earn her first save of 2025.
NICH – 000 030 1 – 4 7 0 (29-22, 19-8 SLC)
SLU – 000 011 0 – 2 8 1 (43-13, 21-6 SLC)
Averi Paden, Sierra Ouellette (6) and Brynne Songy.
Hallie Burns,
Macie LaRue (6),
Britney Lewinski (7) and
Cydnee Schneider. W – Paden (10-6). L – Burns (11-5). Save – Ouellette (1). HR – NICH: Molly VandenBout; SLU:
Maddie Watson. 2B – NICH: Carmella Muccilli. T – 2:06. A – 151.
Southland Conference Tournament Bracket Play – May 1-4 – Hammond, La.
Thursday, May 1
Game 1 – No. 3 Nicholls vs. No. 6 seed, 1 p.m.
Game 2 – No. 2 Southeastern vs. No. 7 HCU, 4 p.m.
Friday, May 2
Game 3 – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 1 p.m. (Elimination game)
Game 4 – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 3
Game 5 – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser, 1 p.m. (Elimination game)
Game 6 – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 4 p.m.
Sunday, May 4
Game 7 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser. 1 p.m.*
* - Game 7 is only necessary if Game 5 winner also wins Game 6
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.
