BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals pounded out 13 hits Saturday, but couldn't overcome five errors as they dropped a 10-6 decision to the visiting McNeese Cowgirls in Southland Conference softball action.
 
The Cardinals made all five errors over the first three innings as McNeese (33-16 overall, 15-6 Southland) raced out to a 6-1 lead.
 
"Saturdays have been bad for us all season, and today was no different," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "We weren't ready to play at the start, and that cost us."
 
The Cardinals (24-24, 9-12) made a game of it with four runs in the bottom of the third to cut the McNeese lead to 6-5 as Shelby Henderson ripped a two-run double before Taylor Davis added a two-run single. The Cowgirls added a run in the fifth before Kelly Meeuwsen scored on a McNeese throwing error to make it 7-6 heading to the seventh inning.
 
The Cowgirls broke it open in the seventh inning with three runs to dash any hopes of an LU comeback.
 
LU starter Laura Napoli (12-13) took the loss, allowing five hits and four runs, three earned, over 1 1/3 innings. Anissa Rodriguez allowed six hits and four runs, two earned, over five innings of relief. Julia Voluntad and Erin Kyle each retired one batter, with Voluntad being charged with two earned runs.
 
Amber Coons (6-2), the third McNeese pitcher of the day, picked up the win with four innings of relief. She allowed six hits and one unearned run. Starter Alexsandra Flores, who got the win in Friday's opener, allowed six hits and five earned runs over 2 1/3 innings.
 
Meeuwsen, Henderson, Davis, Shannon Klaus and Savana Guidry had two hits apiece for the Cardinals, who remained a game behind eighth-place Sam Houston State in the chase for the final spot in next month's Southland Conference tournament with six SLC games remaining.
 
"We put ourselves in a tough spot," Bruder said. "We had a chance to win two games this weekend, and we didn't win any of the three. I think we have to win five of our remaining six games to get into the tournament. We have our work cut out for us. We have to sweep Incarnate Word at home next weekend and get two wins at Nicholls on the final weekend."
 
ON DECK: The Cardinals are at Louisiana-Monroe for a non-conference doubleheader at 4 p.m. Wednesday. It's a rematch of last season's NISC Regional finals at LU, that saw the Cardinals claim a walk-off win to advance the championship round at Liberty University. LU hosts Incarnate Word in a three-game series starting with a doubleheader at 5 p.m. Friday before concluding with a single game at 3 p.m. Saturday. The LU at Nicholls series is set for May 4-5.
 
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.