NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State pitcher
Micaela Bouvier and Southeastern's Rachel Hayes engaged in a scoreless duel through regulation Sunday, but the Lady Lions found their offensive rhythm in the eighth inning.
Southeastern plated four runs in the eighth, and Toni Hebert's first career home run wasn't enough as the Lady Lions swept the series with a 4-2 win in the finale.
Bouvier (12-7) allowed just two hits through seven innings one weekend after carrying a no-hitter into the seventh, but Southeastern took advantage of walks and errors to mount its attack.
Maddie Edmonston walked to begin the eighth inning, stole second base and advanced to third base on a throwing error on the steal. Southeastern loaded the bases on a Grace DeLee walk and a fielder's choice which didn't result in an out.
Rebecca Skains drove in two runs with a single, and Ella Manzer (2-for-3) tacked on two more on a single off of reliever E.C. Delafield for a 4-0 edge.
Bouvier finished with four runs (one earned) on four hits and five walks.
NSU (24-15, 11-7 Southland Conference) committed four errors in the game and combined for 10 in the three-game series after committing just 30 in the season's first 36 games.
The Lady Lions (26-16, 12-6 SLC) jumped NSU in the standings as the Lady Demons tumbled to sixth place depending on the outcome of two series late Sunday. The top six teams are all within a game of each other with seventh-place Abilene Christian (10-8 SLC) only two games out with three series to go.
SLU's Hayes (11-7) carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, which was broken up by a
Sidney Salmans bunt single.
NSU's first hit out of the infield didn't come until the eighth inning when Baleigh Glover roped a single down the left-field line, setting up Hebert's two-run home run in the next at-bat with one out.
Hayes allowed two runs on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. After a pair of walks had NSU threatening in the second inning, Hayes retired 12 straight batters until Salmans' single.
Bouvier worked around a little trouble throughout the day with seven runners stranded. The closest SLU came to scoring in regulation was in the third inning when an error and a walk put a pair of runners in scoring position, but Bouvier induced a ground out.
NSU dropped all three games at home this series after not having been swept in SLC play since the first series of 2017 (Lamar). SLU won the first game 4-2 before dropping eight runs in the seventh inning of an 11-6 comeback victory.
The Lady Demons also had just two home losses the entire season before three home losses in this series.
NSU had won the previous four series against Southeastern.
