BEAUMONT, Texas – Kelly Meeuwsen's bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning capped Lamar University's comeback in a 3-2 win over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in a non-conference softball game Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Cardinals (12-12), who had been held to five hits and no runs over the first six innings, collected four hits and a walk while taking advantage of an error to stun the Colonels (16-6), who saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end.
 
"We never gave up," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "That's one thing about this team. They don't give up. Even last weekend, when we were swept at Northwestern State, this team never quit. We needed this win. All of us, the players and the staff."
 
Eastern Kentucky opened the scoring in the top of the third when Johnkyria Alston's triple to the gap in left-center scored Destinee Lizzmore. The Colonels would add an unearned run in the fourth to make it 2-0.
 
Eastern Kentucky starter Mollie Paulick (6-2) carried a shutout into the seventh inning before thing unraveled. Pinch-hitter Corina Thornton got things started with a leadoff single to center field for her first hit of the year. Shelby Hughston and Savana Guidry followed with singles to load the bases with no outs and put an end to Paulick's day.
 
"Corina did a great job of coming through in a pressure situation," Bruder said of Thornton's single. "Shelby Hughston does her part to get on base and bring us to the top of the order. Savana makes an adjustment from her previous at-bat and it just took off from there."
 
Samantha Reynoso came on in relief of Paulick and promptly got Shannon Klaus to bounce a grounder to second base. Fortune would smile on the Cardinals, however, as the throw home to get Thornton sailed wide and allowed two runs to score to tie the game. Klaus ended upon second, while Guidry moved to third with the game-winning run.
 
After a walk to Shelby Henderson loaded the bases, Meeuwsen drilled one to the fence in center field as Guidry easily trotted home with the winning run.
 
"Hopefully, this gives us some momentum going into this weekend's conference series at Houston Baptist," Bruder said. "We got back on track today, and we need to get back on track in conference play."
 
LU starter Taylor Gruell went four innings, allowing four hits and two runs, one earned. She walked two and struck out one. Laura Napoli (5-7) picked up the win with three innings of shutout relief.
 
"Our pitchers did a good job today against a team that had been putting up big numbers," Bruder said. "That was huge for us today."
 
ON DECK: The Cardinals open a three-game conference series at HBU with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Friday followed by a single game at noon Saturday. The Cardinals return home to host Dartmouth in a non-conference doubleheader at 4 p.m. Tuesday before Stephen F. Austin comes in for a three-game SLC series on March 23-24.
 
TICKETS: For individual-game and season tickets, please call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. The Montagne Center ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The ticket window at the LU Softball Complex will open one hour prior to first pitch on game days. LU students receive free admission to home games with their Cardinal One card, while Junior Cardinal Club members are admitted for free when they present their membership badge.