NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Lamar University softball team used its seventh-inning magic once again as it defeated host Northwestern State 6-4 in a Southland Conference game Saturday afternoon.
 
This time, it was Jenna Holland providing the sorcery, as her two-run home run in the seventh gave the Cardinals two huge insurance runs, pushing LU's lead to 6-2. For the weekend, LU (21-13 overall, 8-4 Southland) scored nine seventh-inning runs in the three games.
 
"This was a huge weekend for us," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "Winning the series at Northwestern State is very tough. I am very happy with the way we played this weekend."
 
LU never trailed in this one, racing out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning thanks to RBI singles by Corina Thornton and Kelly Meeuwsen and a throwing error by Northwestern State. The Lady Demons (21-13, 6-6) got on the board in the third inning with an unearned run, but Kelly Meeuwsen's double in the fourth inning boosted the LU lead to 4-1
 
Northwestern State cut the LU lead to 4-2 on an infield RBI single by Sidney Salmans, but LU starter Ciara Luna (10-3) got out of further trouble by getting Northwestern State's Kellye Kincannon to fly to left.
 
That set the stage for Holland, who crushed one to left-center for her first homer of the year. The two RBIs boosted Holland school-record career total to 82. Sable Hankins added two hits for LU.
 
"Jenna's been hitting the ball well lately," Bruder said. "She came up with some big hits this weekend."
 
Northwestern State put up a bit of a fight in the seventh thanks to solo home runs by Micayla Sorosiak and Brittney Jones, but Laura Napoli came on to retire the next two batters to register her conference-leading third save of the season and fifth of her career, extending her school record, striking out Kaytie Proctor to end the game.
 
Luna allowed eight hits and four runs, three earned, in 6 1/3 innings. She walked one and struck out six. Luna held Kincannon, Northwestern State's leading hitter, hitless over the weekend. Kincannon went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts against Luna on the weekend.
 
"Ciara pitched well, getting both wins for us this weekend," Bruder said. "Laura came on got the job done in relief."
 
Northwestern State starter Shelby Sells (8-7) took the loss, allowing four hits and three runs, two earned, in three innings.
 
The Cardinals return to action at 4 p.m. Tuesday with a non-conference game at 19^th-ranked Baylor. That contest will be an internet-only broadcast.
 
LU is home next weekend to host Southeastern Louisiana in a Southland Conference series. The teams are slated to play a single game at 5 p.m. Friday and a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Saturday. For ticket information, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE.