BEAUMONT, Texas – Playing in a critical Southland Conference series, the Lamar University softball team split its doubleheader on Friday afternoon from the LU Softball Complex. Lamar came away with a 4-3 victory in game one before falling 6-5 in game two.
 
With the split, LU improves to 21-27 on the season and 12-8 in Southland Conference play.
 
Game One
Northwestern State looked to get things going with two outs in the first inning. St. Clair reached on a bunt single and Perry followed with a walk putting two on. Aaliyah Ruiz settled back in for LU and recorded her second strikeout of the inning, ending the threat.
 
Lamar came out in the bottom of the frame and scored four runs. Shannon Klaus reached on an error and Savana Guidry followed with a bunt single. After a sac bunt moved them into scoring position, Jade Lewis was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases.
 
Kimberly Mattox came to the plate and drew a bases loaded walk scoring the first run of the game. Kelly Meeuwsen followed with a single through the right side of the infield that scored two runs. Following Meeuwsen, Taylor Murphy recorded an RBI ground out for the fourth run of the game for LU.
 
The Lady Demons Cantrell led off the second inning with a walk and Hawthrone followed with a single through the left side putting two on. Following the single, Ruiz recorded two strikeouts and a fly out to end the inning leaving two stranded.
 
The game remained 4-0 in favor of the Cardinals heading to the top of the fourth. Ruiz continued to dominate the game as the Lady Demons went down in order. She got two hitters to foul out and recorded a strikeout.
 
Ruiz kept the Lady Demons bats quiet until the top of the sixth inning. With one out and one on, the Lady Demons loaded the bases with a single and a walk. Ruiz recorded the second out of the inning with a strikeout. She looked as if she would get out of the inning as she got pitch hitter Vernace to hit a fly ball to the right fielder, but LU committed an error that scored three, which trimmed the lead down to 4-3. She settled back in and got the next hitter to ground out.
 
Lamar looked to add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, LU loaded the bases on a walk and back-to-back hits. However, the next two Cards were retired and ended the inning.
 
LU needed three outs to close out the game and Ruiz came out dealing as she retired the Lady Demons in order. LU came away with a 4-3 victory over Northwestern State. Ruiz picked up the win for LU as she pitched a complete game and limited the Lady Demons to four hits, 3 runs (0 earned runs) and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts.
 
Game Two
Lamar came out in game two keeping the offense hot as Klaus walked and Guidry singled to start the game. A sac bunt moved the runners into scoring position, but the Lady Demons pitching got the next two hitters out ending the threat.
 
Big Red struck first on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning. Meeuwsen singled through the right side and advanced to second on a sac bunt. She came aroiund to score on a double to left center by Victoria Garivey, which would be the only run of the inning for LU.
 
Northwestern State looked to get to Erin Kyle in the top of the third inning. Skerlong and Vincent led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Kyle settled down and got three straight ground outs ending the inning.
 
LU and Northwestern State remained 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning. With Mattox on second base with one out, pitch hitter Taylor Davis singled up the middle scoring one and extending the LU lead to 2-0. LU would load the bases in the inning, but could not another run across the plate and left the bases loaded.
 
Needing three outs for the win, the Lady Demons offense came to life in the top of the seventh inning. Northwestern State scored six runs on three hits and took advantage of one Cardinal error and took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Trailing for the first time in the game, LU did not go away quietly. Shaina Amir drew a walk to leadoff the bottom of the seventh inning. Lewis followed with a single up the middle. After a fielder's choice, Meeuwsen drew a walk that loaded the bases. Murphy came to the plate and collected a two run RBI single trimming the Lady Demons lead down to two, 6-4.
 
After a pitching change, Garivey singled to right field that score the third run of the inning for LU and moved the tying run to second base. However, the tying run would be left on second base as the next two hitters were retired and LU dropped game two, 6-5.
 
Murphy and Garivey led LU with two hits and two runs driven in during the contest. Seven players recorded one hit each in the game. In the contest, the Cardinals left 11 runners stranded on base.
 
The Cards and Lady Demons close out the three-game set on Saturday, April 20 from the LU Softball Complex. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. Come out for a post-game Egg Hunt, Blood Drive (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and all kids 12 and under are FREE.