PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University softball team had its chances in a tough battle with a top-15 ranked team, but mistakes ultimately proved costly as #13 Texas A&M-Texarkana scored eight unearned runs to take both games over the Wildcats, 5-3 and 7-3, Tuesday afternoon at Wildcat Park.
 
Game 1 – Texas A&M-Texarkana 5, Louisiana Christian 3
 
After the first two innings went by without any runs crossing home plate, the day's first miscue helped kickstart a rally for TAMUT om the third as the Eagles scored four runs in the frame, one being unearned, to open a 4-0 lead.
 
A two-out rally in the fifth helped the Wildcats get back into the contest. BreAnna Corkern led off the inning with a base knock back up the gut. Emma Hunt, now running for Corkern, stole second with one out and was standing on second when Jaclyn Deason came up to bat with two outs. Deason came through, trading places with Hunt, as she found the left-center gap for a RBI double. Kayla Dauthier kept the rally going, sneaking a hit just through the left side of the infield and Deason raced home to cut the deficit in half.
 
The Eagles added what would turn out to be a key insurance run in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly as the Wildcats put up another rally in the bottom half of the frame. With one out, Desiree Squires got the rally started with a base hit up the middle. Now with two outs, BreAnna Corkern dropped a base hit into right field, moving Squires to second. Jordan Dauthier made it pay off with a base hit to the right-center gap to score Squires and bring the leading run to the plate, though a strikeout retired the side before any more damage could be done.
 
After a double play helped the Wildcats get out of the top of the seventh inning after facing the minimum number of Eagle batters, LCU gave itself a chance to walk it off. With one out, Kayla Dauthier and KayeLea Dearmon both hit infield singles, making the TAMUT shortstop make a play that she couldn't make, to bring the winning run to the plate. However, a strikeout and a deep fly ball to left was caught at the track to end the game.
 
BreAnna Corkern was perfect at the plate, getting three base hits in her three at-bats in the opener. Kayla Dauthier went three-for-four with a RBI. KayeLea Dearmon went two-for-four. Jaclyn Deason was one-for-four with a double, a RBI, and a run scored. Desiree Squires went one-for-four with a run scored. Jordan Dauthier went one-for-three with a RBI.
 
Miah Broussard (6-3) threw a complete game seven innings, allowing 11 hits and five runs, four earned, with one walk and two strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – Texas A&M-Texarkana 7, Louisiana Christian 3
 
But missed opportunities and errors reared its ugly head in game two. LCU missed an opportunity to jump out in front in the second inning as KayeLea Dearmon led off with a double and Desiree Squires singled to put runners on the corners with no outs, but 2 infield pop flies and a ground ball to third ended the inning with no runs scoring. In the fourth, the errors turned costly as an early miscue allowed the inning to last long enough for the Eagles to score two runs to take the lead.
 
Now looking to erase the deficit, the Wildcats loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth due to a base hit by BreAnna Corkern, ground ball to the pitcher that was thrown away, and a walk by Bella Houck. However, those runners would remain where they stood as a strike out and infield pop fly retired the side.
 
But the situation changed in the top of the seventh as two errors by the Wildcats allowed the inning to continue beyond the first three batters of the frame and TAMUT took advantage, scoring five unearned runs in the inning to take a 7-0 lead.
 
Now chasing seven runs instead of just two, LCU made a run at it. BreAnna Corkern and Jordan Dauthier led off with base hits and Bella Houck walked to load the bases with no outs. Shaye Tredinich skied a ball toward the right-center gap which was caught, but allowed all three base runners to tag up and advance, including pinch runner Macy Taylor coming in to score to get the Wildcats on the board. Jaclyn Deason followed that with a base hit that fell right in front of the left fielder, allowing Jordan Dauthier to score. Kayla Dauthier kept it going with a base hit to the left-center gap, scoring pinch runner Emma Hunt from third to make it 7-3. With two on and two out, Desiree Squires tried to keep the rally going, launching a ball down the right field line that curved just barely foul instead of a three-run home run, which would've made it a one-run game. Instead, a strikeout resulted later, ending the contest.
 
BreAnna Corkern again led at the plate in game two, going two-for-three in the nightcap, getting five base hits in six at-bats against Eagle pitching on the day. Desiree Squires went two-for-four in the contest. KayeLea Dearmon went one-for-four with a double. Kayla Dauthier went one-for-four with a RBI. Jaclyn Deason went one-for-four with a RBI. Jordan Dauthier went one-for-three with a run scored. Shaye Tredinich picked up a pinch-hit RBI without an official at bat.
 
Bailey McMillian (9-6) picked up the hardest of hard-luck losses in the contest, going 6.2 innings and gave up ten hits and seven runs, none earned, walked four and struck out two. Addison Greak got the lone batter she faced to fly out in six pitches. All three of LCU's runs in the contest were earned while none of TAMUT's seven runs in the contest were earned.
 
The Wildcats (24-18, 13-9 RRAC) look to rebound on senior weekend as LCU plays a pair of conference doubleheaders at home. The first of those doubleheaders will be Friday as LCU welcomes in Huston-Tillotson for a pair of contests. First pitch of game one against the Rams (17-19, 11-13 RRAC) is set for 1:00 P.M. at Wildcat Park.