HAMMOND—In clash of the league's top two teams, Southeastern Louisiana came away with a doubleheader win (4-1, 4-3) over McNeese Tuesday in a mid-week Southland Conference series.
 
With the losses, McNeese falls to 34-14 overall and 14-3 in the SLC while Southeastern improves to 41-11 overall and 16-4 in the SLC.  The series will conclude with a single game at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
 
Two costly Cowgirl errors in the first inning of the opening game allowed Southeastern to take an early 3-0 lead on its way to a 4-1 win in the opening game of a mid-week Southland Conference softball doubleheader Tuesday evening.
 
Despite outhitting the Lady Lions 6-4, the Cowgirls stranded seven baserunners while Southeastern left six stranded.  Reese Reyna led McNeese with two hits in the game, going 2 for 3.  Southeastern was led by Lexi Johnson, who also went 2 for 3 in the game.
 
Ashley Vallejo suffered her first conference loss of the season, falling to 13-8 overall and 7-1 in the SLC.  Vallejo allowed all four runs (2 earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and two walks in the complete game.
 
Cera Blanchard picked up the win in relief for Southeastern to improve to 15-6 overall.  Blanchard allowed just two hits, struck out five, and walked four in 5.1 innings.
 
In the nightcap, Southeastern took the early lead once again, this time off a solo home run by Maddie Watson in the second inning. 
 
McNeese scored two runs in the fourth inning to lead 2-1 on a squeeze bunt single by Brooke Otto and a ground out RBI by Erin Ardoin.
 
The lead didn't last long as the Lady Lions would even the score at two apiece in the fifth and then took a 4-2 lead in the sixth on a two run home run by Ka'Lyn Watson in the sixth.
 
McNeese pulled to within one run (4-3) when Ardoin scored on an error but a ground out to third by Alayis Seneca ended the game with the bases loaded.
 
Both teams picked up six hits apiece in the game with Seneca leading McNeese with two hits.
 
Whitney Tate took the loss, falling to 13-4 overall and it was also her first SLC loss of the season as she falls to 5-1.
 
KK Ladner improved to 14-1 with the win while Ka'Lyn Watson led the Lady Lions at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a two-run home run and scored two runs
 
 
Game 1
B1- Southeastern took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning off one hit and two Cowgirl errors (SE 3, McN 0)
 
T2- Rylie Bouvier singled up the middle and Alayis Seneca scored on a Southeastern error. SE 3, McN 1)
 
T5- McNeese stranded the tying runs after a leadoff single by Erin Ardoin and a walk by Crislyne Moreno.
 
B6- Southeastern added another run in the inning when a run scored from third on an obstruction call at second base that would have potentially been the third out. (SE 4, McN 1)
 
 
Game 2
B2: Southeastern took a 1-0 lead on a solo home run over the left field wall by Maddie Watson (SE 1, McN 0)
 
T4: McNeese took a 2-1 lead on a squeeze bunt by Brooke Otto that scored Chloe Gomez who led the inning off with a double to right.  A ground out RBI by Erin Ardoin allowed Rylie Bouvier to score (McN 2, SE 1)
 
B5: Southeastern tied the game on a RBI ground out by Maria Detillier that scored Ka'Lyn Watson. (McN 2, SE 2)
 
B6: Ka'Lyn Watson regained the lead for the Lady Lions with a two run home run. (SE 4, McN 2)
 
T7: McNeese pulled to within one run when Erin Ardoin scored on an error (SE 4, McN 3).  McNeese left the bases loaded as the game ended on a ground out to third.