HAMMOND, La. – The Lamar University Cardinals squandered two strong pitching performances in dropping a doubleheader to host Southeastern Louisiana by scores of 2-1 and 6-3 in Southland Conference softball action on Friday.
 
Ciara Luna and Laura Napoli each threw four-hitters for LU, but the Cardinals (17-17 overall, 8-3 Southland) were done in by the long ball and costly errors.
 
"When you give up only four hits, you should win," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "It seems that whenever we make an error it comes back to hurt us."
  Mahalia Gibson's two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning lifted Southeastern Louisiana to a come-from-behind win over the Cardinals in the opener.
 
LU starter Ciara Luna had allowed just one hit over the first five innings before running into trouble in the sixth inning, allowing three hits in the frame.
 
LU took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning as Ashley McDowell's bases-loaded bunt single scored pinch runner Mackenzie Futrell. Elizabeth Castillo tried to score from second base when the original throw got away, but was gunned out at the plate.
 
LU had a chance to tie it in the seventh when Brynn Baca was hit by a pitch and advanced to second base, but was unable to advance any further.
 
The Cardinals outhit the Lady Lions 7-4, but couldn't come up with the big hit when needed, stranding 10 runners in the game, nine of those in scoring position.
 
Luna (5-10) took the loss, walking one and striking out five. McDowell had three of LU's seven hits. She also stole a base, giving her 34 for her career, equaling the school mark set by Tonetta Clark-Sload, who played for LU from 1984-86.
 
Rachel Hayes (6-6) pitched a complete game for Southeastern Louisiana, scattering seven hits and allowing one run, none earned. She walked three and struck out three.
  The Lady Lions (16-18, 5-6) took advantage of five LU errors to upend the Cardinals.
 
LU took a 1-0 lead in the second when Shelby Hughston was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Kelly Meeuwsen. Southeastern Louisiana responded with two runs in the bottom of the third thanks to a two-run homer by Kalyn Watts.
 
The Cardinals regained the lead with two runs in the fourth as Paige Holmes drove in a run with a fielder's choice before Brittany Rodriguez had an RBI single.
 
The fifth inning proved to be costly for the Cardinals as Southeastern Louisiana scored three runs without the benefit of a hit, taking advantage of three LU errors in the inning. The Lady Lions added another unearned run in the sixth as LU fell to 0-5 all time at Southeastern Louisiana's North Oak Park.
 
"We didn't have the timely hitting and we gave away the second game with too many errors," Bruder said. "They didn't surprise us with what they did. We just didn't do our job."
 
ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END: Baca saw her streak of reaching base safely end at 25 games, as she failed to get on base in the second game. The 25-game streak is the second-longest in program history, one shy of the 26-game streak Rodriguez had last season.
 
UP NEXT: The Cardinals and Lady Lions wrap up their three-game series at noon Saturday. LU is at Houston for a non-conference doubleheader at 4 p.m. Tuesday before opening a seven-game homestand with a three-game conference series against Sam Houston State. The Cardinals and Bearkats play a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday and a single game at 3 p.m. April 8.
 
TICKETS: For tickets to all LU home games, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. Tickets are also available at the LU ticket office, located in the Montagne Center, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Tickets will be available at the ticket window at the LU Softball Complex starting one hour prior to first pitch.