No. 12 LSU hands Southeastern first home softball loss

HAMMOND, La. – No. 12 LSU took advantage of four Southeastern Louisiana University errors, handing the Lady Lions an 11-1 loss in nonconference softball action Wednesday evening at North Oak Park.

Back at home for the first time in a month, SLU (20-6) suffered its first loss in Hammond in front of a North Oak Park-record crowd of 1,137. LSU improved to 23-2 overall with the victory.

Maddie Watson led Southeastern at the plate with her second home run of the season, while Audrey Greely contributed a double to the Lady Lion offensive attack. Reigning Southland Conference Hitter of the Week Maria Detillier had SLU’s only other hit against LSU pitcher Alea Johnson (5-0), who struck out six and walked nine in a complete-game effort.

Cera Blanchard (9-3) took the loss in the circle for SLU, allowing four runs (two earned) in 1.2 innings of work. KK Ladner was Southeastern’s most effective arm, striking out four and allowing one earned run in 3.1 innings of three-hit relief.

LSU looked to strike first, loading the bases in the top of the first with no outs. Blanchard deftly pitched out of trouble, however, retiring the heart of the Tiger order and leaving the bases juiced.

SLU put its first two runners on in its half of the first, as Cam Goodman drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on a Detillier bunt single. It was Johnson’s turn to pitch out of trouble, striking out Madison Rayner and Lexi Johnson, before forcing Bailey Krolczyk to pop out to strand a pair of Lady Lions.

The Tigers sent 10 to the plate in the second inning to take the lead. Blanchard walked the frame’s first two runs in, then a Southeastern error led to two more runs and a 4-0 deficit.

Southeastern got on the board on the first pitch of the bottom of the second, as Maddie Watson launched her second home run well over the left field fence. Walks drawn by Greely, Maddie Leal and Detillier loaded the bases for the Lady Lions later in the frame, but Rayner couldn’t beat out an infield single and was retired to keep the LSU lead at 4-1.

After Ladner and Johnson matched zeroes in the third, the Tigers scored in every remaining inning. LSU plated a run in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and four runs in the sixth with three of those runs unearned.

Greely led off the SLU sixth with a double, then Leal drew a walk to put a pair on with no outs. But, Colleen Kulivan lined in to a double play and then Johnson struck out Goodman to close out the victory.

Southeastern will now head back on the road, opening Southland Conference play with a three-game series at Lamar. The series opens with a 3 p.m. doubleheader Friday and concludes with a noon contest Saturday in Beaumont, Texas.

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