CONWAY, Ark. – The third-seeded Lamar University Cardinals overcame a rocky start to claim a 4-2 win over the sixth-seeded Northwestern State Lady Demons in the opening game of the Southland Conference Softball Tournament on Wednesday. With the win, the Cardinals advanced to meet second-seeded Nicholls at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
 
Northwestern State (22-32-1) jumped into a 1-0 lead just two batters into the contest, as Sidney Salmans led off with a triple before scoring on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hailee Rhodes.
 
"That's definitely not the start we wanted, but maybe that was the kick in the butt we needed," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "I like the way we responded."
 
The Cardinals (28-26) responded with a run of their own in the first as Brittany Rodriguez singled before eventually scoring on Sable Hankins' sacrifice fly.
 
LU took the lead for good in the bottom of the third as Hankins led off with a double and came in to score on a Kelly Meeuwsen grounder. The Cardinals increased their lead to 4-1 in the fourth as Rodriguez ripped a two-run double to center field to score Shelby Hughston and Ashley McDowell.
 
Brittany Jones hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth to cut the Cardinals' lead to 4-2, but LU starter Ciara Luna (13-15) held the Lady Demons scoreless the rest of the way.
 
"Getting that opening win is huge," Bruder said. "It's tough to go into the losers' bracket and win five straight games to win the tournament."
 
Luna pitched a complete game, scattering four hits, allowing two runs, both earned. She walked one and struck out four. McDowell and Rodriguez had two hits apiece for the Cardinals. McDowell boosted her career total to 193 hits, one shy of the LU record of 194 held by Stephanie Meeuwsen.
 
Northwestern State starter Mikayla Brown (14-14) took the loss, allowing six hits and four runs, all earned in 3 2/3 innings. She walked three and struck out one. Katelyn Boles allowed one hit in 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Lady Demons.
 
LU improved to 4-0 vs. Northwestern State this season, having swept a three-game series to open Southland Conference play in March at the LU Softball Complex.
 
"It's always tough to beat a team four times," Bruder said. "Northwestern State gave us some tough games this season, and today was no different. This was a good win for us."
 
Northwestern State dropped to the losers' bracket, where it will face an undetermined opponent at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.