LAKE CHARLES, La. – Lamar University softball started out the Cowgirl Challenge with a tough 5-4 loss at the hands of Central Arkansas on Friday. All the scoring occurred in the third inning with each team's pitcher going for the entire afternoon.
 
Aside from a baserunner or two, the first two innings saw little action from either team, but LU got to work in the top of the third. A double from Brooke Davis followed by a walk and bunt loaded the bases for the Cardinals with no outs. Veronica Harrison and Jayne Sepulveda had sacrifice flies to each score a run before Cameron Niedenthal hit her first home run of the season, a two-run shot to make the Big Red lead 4-0.
 
UCA would respond, however, by loading the bases themselves with three straight singles in the bottom half of the inning. Three straight RBI hits after that would give the Bears a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.
 
After a scoreless fourth, Shenita Tucker would single for the Cardinals in the top of the fifth and steal second and third to get in scoring position but would get stranded there. UCA had runners on first and third in the bottom of the fifth, but Wardlaw was able to work her way out of the jam. She did the same in the bottom of the sixth when the Bears had runners on second and third to keep it a one-run game. The Cardinals could not carry the momentum, though, as they would come up empty in their final time at the plate.
 
Tucker and Davis led the Cardinals with two hits each while Niedenthal, Kalyn Xayaseng and Trinity Brandon each added a hit of their own. Wardlaw was tagged with the loss on the mound after six innings of work allowing five runs on 12 hits with five strikeouts.
 
LU continues Cowgirl Challenge play with a doubleheader tomorrow as they take on Central Arkansas again at 11 a.m. before squaring off with top-ranked Oklahoma at 1:30 p.m.