BEAUMONT, Texas – Amid weather issues and scheduling changes, Lamar University's softball team managed a split in their Saturday doubleheader against Northwestern State. Game 2 was continued from yesterday and resulted in a 6-1 loss for the Cardinals, (17-10, 5-1 SLC) but a grand slam from
Veronica Harrison propelled Big Red to a 6-2 Game 3 victory.
Cameron Niedenthal recorded her fifth multi-hit game of the season in Game 2 with a team-high two hits.
Jayne Sepulveda walked in a run to earn an RBI which brings her season total to 15.
Karyana Mitchell was tagged with loss after 6.2 innings of work allowing six runs on 11 hits and a walk.
Makayla Valle recorded the last out for the Cardinals with a strikeout.
Harrison's first career home run was a grand slam in the third inning to take a lead the Cardinals would not relinquish as she pushed her team-high RBI tally to 19 on the season. Sepulveda managed two hits while
Mikaila Kenney chipped in an RBI on her first career triple.
Emma Wardlaw picked up the win on the mound in another complete game effort allowing just two runs on six hits and three walks with two strikeouts.
Game 2: Northwestern State 6, LU 1
The Demons (12-18, 1-5 SLC) struck early in Game 2 with a run in the first two innings before the bats died down for both teams. Lightning then forced play to be halted for the afternoon with the game resuming in the top of the fifth on Saturday morning.
Three singles in the bottom of the fifth loaded the bases for LU with one out, and they managed to score a run on a walk from Sepulveda. This was the only damage done by the Cardinals, however, as they stranded three runners and the opportunity to take the lead.
NSU immediately capitalized and secured three runs on two RBI singles with two outs in the top of the sixth. They then tacked on another in the seventh to hand Big Red their first conference loss of the season.
Game 3: LU 6, Northwestern State 2
NSU got off to another hot start from an RBI double in the top of the first. Wardlaw was then able to strand four runners in the next two innings. A single, double and a walk loaded the bases for the Cardinals again in the third inning, but this time, Harrison capitalized and launched a grand slam to left center to give LU a 4-1 lead.
Kalie Amos scored another run for Big Red on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth while Kenney knocked in another with an RBI triple to widen the lead. The Demons managed a run in the top of the seventh, but Wardlaw was able to close out the game and earn the Cardinals their fifth conference win of the year.
LU finishes off their homestand against former Southland foe Sam Houston on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
