HOUSTON, Texas – After an early lead, Lamar University softball fell on the road in a 15-7 midweek slugfest against Houston.
 
The Cardinals started off with a bang as Shenita Tucker broke the single season school record for stolen bases in the top of the first with her 26^th steal of the year. Veronica Harrison was then able to knock her in with an RBI single to put LU in front. Brooke Davis then hit an RBI double before Makenzie Wright launched a three-run blast to left field for her second home run of the season to give Big Red a 5-0 lead.
 
Houston responded quickly, however, in the bottom of the opening frame with four runs of their own spurred in part by two Cardinal errors. After Harrison's second RBI single of the evening for LU, the Cougars would add four more in the bottom of the second capped by a two-run homer to push them in front 8-6.
 
Lamar would load the bases in the top of the third with one out after two singles and a walk. Kalyn Xayaseng appeared to chip into the deficit with a sacrifice fly, but the run was taken off the board due to her stepping out of the batter's box in her swing. The Cardinals would leave the runners stranded after that.
 
After getting runners on the corners in the top of the fourth, Jayne Sepulveda stole home to cut the Cougar lead in half. Roxy Thompson then singled in the next at bat, but Cameron Niedenthal was thrown out at home to keep Houston ahead. The Cougars would then pile on six more runs in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth to finish things out.
 
Harrison (2 RBI) and Thompson each had two hits on the night for the Cardinals. Wright (3 RBI) blasted her second home run of the season while Tucker finished with two more stolen bases to push her season total to 27.
 
Sabrina Jolin got tagged with the loss on the mound for LU lasting 1.2 innings while allowing eight runs on seven hits and two walks. Madison Guidry took over and pitched 1.2 innings of relief allowing five runs on three hits, a walk and two hit batters with a strikeout. Karayana Mitchell ended the game for the Cardinals going an inning while allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits, a walk and a hit batter.
 
LU returns home for a clash of the Cardinals in an important conference series against Incarnate Word. The series starts with a Friday doubleheader with games at 3 and 5 p.m. while the finale is at 12 p.m. on Saturday. All games will take place at the LU Softball Complex and be streamed on ESPN+.