LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Lamar University Cardinals dropped their first game in the Southland Conference Softball Tournament, falling to host McNeese 8-4 in the semifinals of the double-elimination event on Thursday.
 
With the loss, the third-seeded Cardinals will have to win three games on Friday to claim their first-ever tournament crown.
 
"Is it tough to win three games in a day? Yes. Is it impossible? No," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "We know it's a long road, but every one of our players said they are up to the challenge."
 
The Cardinals will meet the winner of Thursday's late game between fifth-seeded Stephen F. Austin and second-seeded Nicholls at 11:30 a.m. Friday. The winner of Friday's early game faces top-seeded McNeese at 3 p.m. McNeese needs to win just one game to win the title, while its opponent would have to beat the Cowgirls twice. If McNeese loses the 3 p.m. game, a winner-take-all game would start at approximately 6 p.m.
 
McNeese (41-12) jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first inning off of LU starter Ciara Luna (16-8), who lasted just 2/3 of an inning in her shortest start of the season.
 
"We needed Ciara to hold them down more than she did," Bruder said. "I expected a bit more from the Newcomer of the Year."
 
The Cardinals (34-21) refused to give up, however, and cut the lead to 4-3 with two runs in the top of the third thanks to an error and a bases-loaded walk to Jenna Holland and one more in the fourth as a Kelly Meeuwsen RBI double plated Maddy Myers.
 
The Cowgirls erupted for four runs in the bottom of the fourth to seize the momentum away from the Cardinals. Erika Piancastelli's two-run double down the left-field line that just eluded the reach of a diving Sable Hankins at third base, was the big hit of the inning for McNeese.
 
The Cardinals threatened in the sixth, scoring one run on a Brynn Baca double, but left two runners on base. For the game, the Cardinals stranded 10 runners.
 
"We had our chances, but we didn't take advantage of them," Bruder said. "We scored four runs, but against a good-hitting team, you have to score more than that."
 
Baca had two of LU's seven hits. Lauren Dannelley allowed three runs in three innings of relief, while Laura Napoli pitched 2 1/3 innings of hitless relief, allowing one run.
 
"Lauren and Laura did a good job of keeping us in the game, but it's tough to come back after giving up four runs in the first inning," Baca said. "That gave McNeese a lot of confidence, and they were swinging freely."