HOUSTON – Holly Bruder collected her 100^th win as Lamar University softball coach as the Cardinals claimed a 2-1 victory over host Texas Southern in a non-league contest on Tuesday.
 
Bruder, who is in her fourth season at LU after being tabbed to revive the program in 2013 is 100-109 at LU and 360-310 overall including her six seasons at Denison and four years at Morehead State. The Cardinals are 30-16 overall this season, the first time in program history, including the five seasons from 1983-87, that the Cardinals have reached the 30-win plateau.
 
"Getting the 100^th win is special," Bruder said. "We have come so far in four seasons. Getting 30 wins in a season means you're a good team. This is a special group of players."
 
The Cardinals didn't waste much time in taking the lead, as leadoff hitter Kelly Meeuwsen crushed the sixth pitch of the game from Texas Southern starter Lauren Rodriguez (10-8) for her fourth home run of the season. Meeuwsen's shot not only cleared the temporary home run fence that Texas Southern uses at Memorial Park, but also cleared the permanent slow-pitch fence that is 240 feet away from home plate.
 
It was the fourth home run of the season for Meeuwsen, placing her in a tie with Sable Hankins and Ashley McDowell for the team lead.
 
The Cardinals threatened on a number of occasions, but failed to score again until the top of the sixth when Sarah Ragsdale scored when reliever Jasmine Fulmore uncorked a wild pitch. That insurance run proved to be crucial when Texas Southern (23-16) got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when pinch-hitter Anisha Richardson doubled off of LU reliever Amie Cisneros to score Miranda Rodarte. Cisneros avoided further damage, and Laura Napoli pitched a scoreless seventh inning for her fifth save of the year.
 
LU starter Julia Voluntad (2-0) picked up the win, throwing four scoreless innings, allowing three hits.
 
"We needed Julia to get some work, and she did a tremendous job," Bruder said. "We didn't hit well today, but our pitching and defense came through today."
 
Meeuwsen had two of LU's four hits. Brittany Rodriguez and Jenna Holland had the other hits for the Cardinals, who stranded 13 runners. LU was unable to take full advantage of eight walks and three hit batters.
 
"We have to do a better job of bringing runners home," Bruder said. "I know we can hit better than that."
 
The Cardinals return home to host UT Arlington in the final non-conference game of the season at 2 p.m. Wednesday before opening a crucial three-game Southland Conference series with league-leading McNeese State on the weekend. LU is in third place in the conference, a half-game behind second-place Nicholls and two games behind McNeese State with six conference games remaining.
 
The Cardinals and Cowgirls are scheduled to play a single game at 6 p.m. Friday and a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Saturday. LU wraps up the regular season the following weekend at Nicholls.
 
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