BEAUMONT, Texas -- A strong combined pitching effort from Lauren Dannelley and Laura Napoli proved to be the tonic the Lamar Lady Cardinals needed in a 3-2 win in eight innings over Jackson State in a nonconference softball game Wednesday.

Dannelley and Napoli combined on a four-hitter as the Lady Cardinals (22-20) overcame a sluggish offensive performance.

"Lauren and Laura were definitely the heroes tonight," Lamar coach Holly Bruder said. "We needed a solid effort from them, and that's exactly what we got.

Dannelley pitched the first five innings, allowing two hits and two runs, one earned, as she did not factor in the decision Se struck out two and did not walk a batter. Napoli (16-12) pitched three scoreless innings of relief to move within one win of the single-season school record.

The Lamar offense was held in check by Jackson State starter Kelsey Townsend (15-11), who limited the Lady Cardinals to just four hits. All three Lamar runs were produced without the benefit of a hit.

Lamar scored two runs in the first inning when after a hit and a walk Sable Hankins' line drive deflected off the glove of the center fielder for a two-base error as Shannon Sain and Stephanie Meeuwsen scored.

Jackson State scored single runs in the first and second innings, and the game stayed tied at 2 until the bottom of the eighth.

Meeuwsen started the inning on second as the game used the international tie-breaker rule. Hankins sacrificed Meeuwsen over to third before scoring on Brynn Baca's slow roller to second. The Jackson State infield came home on the play, but Meeuwsen slid in before Jackson state catcher Ashley Neal could apply the tag.

"That's not the way I drew it up, but I'll take it," Bruder said. "I was hoping for a fly ball in that situation, but we still got the job done."

It was the first-ever extra-inning game at the Lamar Softball Complex, and Bruder wouldn't mind if it's a while before she sees another one.

"It's not easy on the nerves," Bruder said. "We didn't play our best game, but I think we may have been a little rusty. This was our first game in a week."

Victoria Nelson had two hits for Jackson State (22-24).

Lamar returns to action this weekend with a three-game Southland Conference series at McNeese State. The Lady Cardinals enter the weekend in fourth place in the conference with a 12-6 mark.

Lamar and McNeese State are scheduled to play a single game at 6 p.m. Friday and a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Saturday. Lamar is at Houston for a nonconference doubleheader on April 29 before closing out the regular season by hosting Nicholls in a three-game conference series May 1-2.

"We have six conference games remaining, and they're all important," Bruder said. "We know we have to play better than we did tonight. We have to do a better job making adjustments at the plate."

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