NATCHITOCHES, La. – Kelly Meeuwsen's three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning sparked the Lamar University softball team to a 4-2 win over host Northwestern State in the opening game of a Southland Conference doubleheader on Friday. LU's bid for a second come-from-behind win fell short in a 6-4 loss to the Lady Demons in the nightcap.
 
The Cardinals (20-13 overall, 7-4 Southland) scored all of their runs in the first game in the seventh inning to stun the Lady Demons (21-12, 6-5) Corina Thornton and Sarah Ragsdale each had one-out singles to start the rally before Meeuwsen crushed a 2-1 pitch from Northwestern state starter Micaela Bouvier over the wall in right-center to give LU a 3-2 lead. LU would add another run in the inning on an RBI from Sable Hankins to give LU starter Ciara Luna a two-run cushion.
 
Luna (9-3) set the side down in order on 10 pitches in the bottom of the seventh to close the deal.
 
"We never gave up and found a way to win," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "Corina and Sarah found a way to get on and then Kelly came through for us."
 
Luna allowed five hits and two runs, both earned, over seven innings, walking one and striking out seven. She was helped out by her defense, which played errorless ball behind her.
 
"Our defense was good the entire day," Bruder said. "We didn't make an error in either game. "That's as solidly as we've played defensively all year."
 
Brittany Rodriguez had three hits for LU. Micayla Sorosiak had a two-run double in the fifth inning to account for Northwestern State's runs. Bouvier (11-5) took the loss in a complete-game effort for the Lady Demons, allowing eight hits and four runs, all earned. She walked three and struck out two.
 
In the nightcap, Northwestern State struck for five runs in the second inning, with Natalie Landry's grand slam highlighting the outburst.
 
The Cardinals got on the board in the fifth when Brittany Rodriguez tripled and scored on Meeuwsen's double. The Lady Demons got that run back in the bottom of the fifth when Kellye Kincannon homered to right-center.
 
The Cardinals once again provided some seventh-inning magic, scoring three runs in the frame thanks to an RBI double by Meeuwsen and a two-run double by Jenna Holland, but LU could get no closer. Holland's double gave her RBIs 79 and 80, breaking a tie with teammate Stephanie Meeuwsen for the most in program history.
 
LU starter Laura Napoli (6-6) took the loss, allowing seven hits and five runs, all earned, in two innings. Lauren Dannelley pitched two scoreless innings of relief, while Amie Cisneros allowed one run in her two innings of work.
 
"Our bullpen did a great job to keep us in the game and give us a chance to win," Bruder said. "We didn't give up. But that's a big deficit to come back from against a good team."
 
Shelby Sells (8-6) threw a complete game for the Lady Demons, allowing seven hits and four runs, all earned. She walked three and struck out three.
 
The teams wrap up their three-game series at 1 p.m. Saturday. That game will be broadcast online. After Saturday's game, LU is at 19^th-ranked Baylor at 4 p.m. Tuesday in a non-conference game before hosting Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game conference series next weekend.
 
"Our goal in conference is to win every series," Bruder said. "We have that chance on Saturday. We have to take advantage of it."