BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University right fielder Corina Thornton made her first start of the season a memorable one Saturday, as she had two hits, including a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning, to help the Cardinals claim for a 4-3 win over the visiting Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions in a Southland Conference softball game. With the victory, the Cardinals took two of three games in the series.
 
Thornton, who had a single in the first inning, came up with two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the sixth with LU clinging to a 3-2 lead. Thornton lofted a single into right field to score pinch runner Tristin Anders, who had come on for designated player Taylor Davis, who opened the inning with a double.
 
Thornton's hit proved to be important as the Lady Lions added a run in the top of the seventh, but stranded runners on second and third.
 
"It feels good to come through like that. I did it for my teammates," Thornton said. "I was just doing my job like everyone else did."
 
The Cardinals (20-16 overall, 6-6 Southland) struck early, scoring three runs in the first inning to chase Southeastern Louisiana starter Rachel Hayes (7-6), who threw a shutout against LU on Friday night. Kelly Meeuwsen opened the scoring with a triple to right field to score Savana Guidry. Meeuwsen came in to score on a Kendall Talley sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. Davis, who drew a walk in the inning, raced all the way home from first on Shelby Henderson's RBI double.
 
Hayes retired just two batters, allowing two hits and three runs, all earned. She walked two.
 
"I loved that we knocked out their starter in the first inning," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "We made adjustments against a pitcher who tied us up on Friday night. That was huge."
 
Southeastern Louisiana (20-14, 7-5) scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the second. LU was held in check by Southeastern Louisiana reliever Alley McDonald until Thornton's hit in the sixth. Meanwhile, LU starter Laura Napoli (9-7) settled down after the second inning to shut the Lady Lions down.
 
"I loved that Laura wanted the ball in the seventh," Bruder said. She was tremendous this weekend, getting two complete-game wins."
 
Southeastern Louisiana threatened in the seventh, as Ali McCoy drew a one-out walk before coming home on Ella Manzer's triple.  After Napoli walked Alli Daigle, who promptly stole second, she retired the final two batters, ending the game by getting leadoff hitter Maddie Edmonston to loft a lazy foul fly to Kendall Talley in left field. That came after shortstop Savana Guidry made a diving backhand snare of a hard grounder by Kinsey Nichols to preserve the lead.
 
Napoli allowed five hits and three runs, one earned. She walked two and struck out one. She was aided by some defensive gems, including Guidry's play in the seventh and a diving catch by center fielder to rob Manzer of extra bases in the fourth inning. Catcher Shelby Hughston also threw out Edmonston, the conference's leader in stolen bases, on a steal attempt of third. It was just the fourth time in 27 attempts this season that Edmonston was caught stealing.
 
"I don't say this often, but we needed and deserved this win," Bruder said. "We had one hiccup in the field, but we had every aspect of our game today. We had good fielding, great pitching and timely hitting."
 
With the win, the Cardinals took two of three games in the series, improving to 10-9 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana. The Cardinals are tied for seventh with Abilene Christian, one game ahead of Sam Houston State with 15 SLC games remaining. LU is at Sam Houston State for a three-game series next weekend. The top eight teams qualify for the conference tournament.
 
"This was a huge win as far as the standings are concerned," Bruder said. "Next week's series at Sam Houston State is definitely going to be important."
 
NOTES: The win was LU's 100^th Southland Conference victory, including when the Cardinals had softball from 1983-87. LU is 100-95 all-time in SLC play, including an 81-62 record since reviving the program in 2013. Napoli has 259 career strikeouts, 10 behind Ciara Luna's school record of 269 strikeouts. The Cardinals are 58-23 at the LU Softball Complex since the venue opened in 2015.
 
ON DECK: LU is at Texas State for a non-conference game at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday before the three-game series at Sam Houston State. The Cardinals and Bearkats play a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Friday and a single game at noon Saturday. LU returns home to host the University of Houston in a non-conference doubleheader at 4 p.m. April 11.
 
TICKETS: For tickets to all LU home games, 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.