Box Score



HAMMOND – Sophomore first baseman Tori Sheppard, senior catcher Meghan Gomez and junior designated player Kelsey Nichols each hit home runs to lead the Southeastern Louisiana softball team to a 9-8 win over South Alabama in non-conference action Wednesday night at North Oak Park.
 
Southeastern (10-29) scored three runs in the second, third and fourth innings for the victory – the team's first over USA since 2007. Senior Vicki Honeycutt (4-3) allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings of relief to earn the win in the circle for the Lady Lions. South Alabama (27-13) saw its three-game winning streak snapped. The Jaguars had previously outscored Southeastern, 24-2, in two previous wins this season.
 
The Lady Lions outlasted the visiting Jaguars in a wild affair that featured nine extra-base hits – including four home runs. Southeastern head coach Pete Langlois was proud of his team's effort against a talented South Alabama squad.
 
“I've said all season that this is the best team we've played this year, so this is a huge win for us,” Langlois commented. “We knew how well they hit, so we were going to have to match their offensive output if we were going to be successful. We were able to get those three big home runs and Vicki did a great job holding the lead.”
 
South Alabama jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Southeastern sophomore starter Jessie Browne. After retiring the first two batters of the inning, Browne allowed a single by junior shortstop Brittany Fowler, which was followed by an RBI triple by senior designated player Haley Hopkins.
 
Hopkins would score one batter later on a single by junior first baseman Meghan Collins to give the Jaguars the early advantage. USA would add to its lead in the top of the second inning, as senior third baseman Christin Crocker led off the frame with a solo home run over the centerfield fence to put the Jaguars up, 3-0.
 
Southeastern would get back into it in the bottom of the second inning against USA senior starter Katy Neal. Sophomore shortstop Kayla Elswick drew a walk and senior third baseman Lauren Coniglio singled to put a pair of runners on with two outs. Sheppard then launched Neal's first pitch well over the left field fence to knot the score at 3.
 
South Alabama loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third inning. After Browne struck out freshman catcher Alex Breeden for the second out, she uncorked a wild pitch allowing the go-ahead run to score. After walking Crocker to reload the bases, Browne gave way to junior Kati Morse, who got the last out of the inning to keep the USA lead to 4-3.
 
Southeastern retook the lead in its half of the third inning. Sophomore second baseman Megan McCollum drew a walk to lead off the inning and scored when Gomez ripped her team-high ninth home run of the season over the right field fence. An RBI single by Coniglio later in the inning pushed the Southeastern advantage to 6-4.
 
Morse couldn't hold the lead, as RBI's by freshman right fielder Blair Johnson, Fowler and Hopkins chased her with one out in the top of the fourth inning. Honeycutt came in and retired Collins and Breeden to keep the South Alabama lead to 7-6.
 
Southeastern answered once again in the bottom of the fourth inning against USA freshman reliever Farish Beard (3-2). Junior centerfielder Michelle Duhe reached on a bunt single and McCollum drew her second walk of the game to put a pair of runners on with one out. Beard recovered to strike out Gomez for out number two, but Nichols gave Southeastern the lead for good, hitting a virtual carbon copy of Sheppard's earlier shot over the left field fence. The Alvin, Texas native's second home run of the season gave Southeastern a 9-7 advantage.
 
Honeycutt retired the first seven batters she faced before running into trouble in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, she hit Fowler then served up a double off the left centerfield fence to Hopkins to cut the lead to 9-8.
 
Honeycutt maintained the lead by retiring Collins to end the frame. The St. Francisville native sat down USA in order in the seventh inning to secure her team-high fourth victory of the season.
 
Southeastern will now head to Sam Houston State for a two-game Southland Conference series in Huntsville, Texas. The series opens with a 6 p.m. contest on Friday and concludes on Saturday with a 1 p.m. meeting. Live stats for the series will be available at www.gobearkats.com. Fans can also follow the action via Twitter at www.twitter.com/sluathletics.