STARKVILLE, Miss. – The Lamar University softball team dropped a pair of tight games at the Bulldog Slamboree on Friday, falling to host Mercer 2-1 and the host Mississippi State Bulldogs 6-3. Mississippi State entered the weekend ranked 25^th in the nation.
 
"We played two very good teams," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "We should have won the game against Mercer, but we couldn't capitalize on our chances. We played some amazing defense today."
 
Laura Napoli was working on a no-hitter with two outs in the bottom of the sixth before Mercer responded with back-to-back hits to break up the no-hitter and the shutout.
 
Laurenne Sanchez singled up the middle for Mercer's first hit before Megan Lane's two-run homer to right-center gave the Bears a 2-0 lead.
 
LU threated in the top of the seventh, putting runners on first and second with two outs. Kelly Meeuwsen singled to center to score pinch runner Kimberly Mattox, but Meeuwsen was thrown out at second to end the game.
 
The Cardinals stranded seven runners in the contest, five of them in scoring position.
 
Napoli (3-5) took the loss, allowing just the two hits, walking one and striking out two. Mercer's Jill McEldry (3-1) pitched a complete game for the win. She allowed five hits, walked three batters and hit another while striking out six.
 
"Laura was fantastic," Bruder said. "Unfortunately, we couldn't give her any support."
   
Kendall Talley had two hits and Shelby Hughston drove in two runs, but the Cardinals couldn't climb out of an early hole as they fell to the 25^th-ranked Bulldogs.
 
Mississippi State (13-3) scored two runs in each of the first two innings before adding two insurance runs in the fifth.
 
The Cardinals got on the board in the third inning on an RBI grounder by Shelby Henderson. The Cardinals cut the deficit to 6-3 in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Hughston down the left-field line, but LU could get no closer.
 
LU starter Taylor Gruell (1-1) took the loss, allowing six hits and six runs over five innings. Amie Cisneros pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Cardinals.
 
Mississippi State starter Candace Denis (1-0) got the win, allowing two hits and one run over four innings. Holly Ward was credited with her first save after allowing four hits and two runs over the final three innings.
 
LU's Savana Guidry saw her hitting streak end at 11 games.
 
The Cardinals have three games remaining this weekend, including two on Saturday. LU has a rematch with Mercer at 9 a.m. before facing Alcorn State at 7 p.m. The Cards wrap up the weekend with a game against Alcorn State at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
 
LU returns home to host Penn State at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
 
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.