No. 25 Southeastern LA Softball: Home Opener & Mardi Gras Mambo Schedule

HAMMOND, Louisiana – The Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) Lady Lions softball team enters a busy stretch of competition, beginning with a home opener against Louisiana Tech on Wednesday, February 11th, followed by participation in the Mardi Gras Mambo tournament in Youngsville, Louisiana. The team, currently ranked 25th nationally, is looking to build on a 4-2 start to the season and defend its Southland Conference Tournament championship.

Wednesday’s game against Louisiana Tech, scheduled for 5 p.m. At North Oak Park, will be televised on ESPN+ and broadcast on www.LionSports.net/listenlive. Prior to the game, SLU will formally recognize last season’s Southland Conference Tournament victory with the unveiling of new outfield signage.

The Mardi Gras Mambo presents a challenging schedule for the Lady Lions. A scheduling adjustment has been made due to anticipated inclement weather; their Sunday game against Eastern Illinois has been moved to Thursday at 8 p.m.. The tournament will then continue with games against Georgia State and New Mexico on Friday, followed by matchups against SIU-Edwardsville and St. Thomas on Saturday. The team will then conclude the tournament with a game against Monmouth on Sunday.

Southeastern is currently batting .299 as a team, led by Cydnee Schneider, who boasts a .438 average. Shelby Morris (.409), Ka’Lyn Watson (.400), Maria Detillier (.353), and Colleen Kulivan (.308) also contribute significantly to the team’s offensive output. Morris has been particularly impactful, leading the squad with seven runs, nine hits, and one triple, earning her recognition on the All-Tournament Team at the season-opening Leadoff Classic. The Lady Lions have also demonstrated speed on the basepaths, accumulating 14 stolen bases, with Shenita Tucker leading the way with four.

The SLU pitching staff has maintained a 2.15 team earned run average, holding opponents to a .186 batting average. Hallie Burns, recently named Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week, has a 2-0 record with a 0.98 ERA. Cera Blanchard (2-0, 2.63 ERA), Haley Crawford (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2 saves), Macie LaRue (0-0, 2.33 ERA), Tyler Oubre (0-1, 9.00 ERA), Bre Clark (0-0, 0.00 ERA), and Katherine Thiessen (0-1, 42.04 ERA) have all contributed to the team’s pitching efforts.

Louisiana Tech enters the contest with a 4-0 record and a .331 team batting average. Aleah Brooks (.563) and Reese Torres (.556) are leading the Bulldogs’ offense. The pitching duties are shared among Bryannah Campos (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 save), Allie Floyd (0-0, 3.50 ERA), and Laney Johnson (2-0, 2.33 ERA).

The Mardi Gras Mambo will also feature Eastern Illinois, led by Abbi Hatton (.400) and Bryanna French (1-1, 2.39 ERA); Georgia State, where Chloe Hatcher (.727, 2 HR, 9 RBI) and Makayla Stephens (4-0, 1.58 ERA) are key players; New Mexico, with Brianna Williams (.4455) and McKenna Guest (1-1, 2.19 ERA); SIUE, featuring Arissah Garza (.429) and Mia Volpert (1-1, 5.02 ERA); and St. Thomas, led by Ella Cook (.500) and Cassidy Carby (3 HR, 11 RBI), with Ava Kleinfeldt (2-0, 3.50 ERA) anchoring their pitching staff.

The trip to the Mardi Gras Mambo marks the beginning of a significant road stretch for Southeastern, with 20 consecutive games scheduled away from home. Following the tournament, the Lady Lions will travel to Conway, Arkansas, to compete in the UCA Softball Tournament.

Fans can follow the Southeastern Softball team on X and Instagram at @LionUpSoftball, and on Facebook at /SLUathletics. Information regarding the Home Run Club and S Club, support organizations for the softball program, is available at www.LionUp.com or by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091.

Ticket information can be found at www.LionSports.net/tickets, with mobile ticketing as the primary method of distribution. Southeastern Athletics enforces a clear bag policy for all ticketed events; details can be found at www.LionSports.net/clear.