PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University softball team dropped game one of its Red River Athletic Conference series-opening doubleheader to the Texas A&M-San Antonio Jaguars, 8-1, before riding the arm of Olivia Falcon to a 1-0 win in game two to pick up a split Friday afternoon at Wildcat Park.
 
Game 1 - Texas A&M-San Antonio 8, Louisiana Christian 1
 
Louisiana Christian (13-14, 5-6 RRAC) looked like it might be able to get out of an early jam in the first inning of game one. Texas A&M-San Antonio (12-12, 5-6 RRAC) put two on with one out, but a fly ball got the Wildcats on the verge of getting out of the inning with no damage done. However, the Jaguars got three base hits in a row, each one scoring a run to give TAMUSA a 3-0 lead when the third out was recorded.
 
LCU was able to pull one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. Mariel Medrano led off by drawing a walk, stole second, moved to third on a ground ball by Lexi Boussard, and came home on a wild pitch.
 
But the Wildcat offense went stagnant from there while a costly miscue helped the Jaguars extend their lead. In the third inning, TAMUSA turned an error to open the frame into four runs, three of which were unearned, as the Jaguars opened a 7-1 advantage. The Jaguars added another run in the fourth for the game's final score.
 
The Wildcats were held to two hits in the series opener with Myah Talbert and Naya Soto getting one apiece. Talbert was also hit by a pitch, one of three Wildcats to get plunked during the game with Maci Baldwin and Isabella Battaglia being the others.
 
Medrano was one of two LCU batters to draw walks in the contest with Christina Curtis also receiving a base on balls. Medrano scored LCU's sole run in the game after her walk and stolen base.
 
Addison Greak (3-3) started the game and went 3.2 innings in the circle, allowing 11 hits and eight runs, five earned, with two walks and no strikeouts.
 
Carly Carpenter came on in the fourth inning and threw the final 3.1 innings, allowing just three hits with no runs or walks while striking out three.
 
Game 2 – Louisiana Christian 1, Texas A&M-San Antonio 0
 
Game two of the doubleheader was a pitcher's dual through-and-through with Falcon battling against TAMUSA's Krisilyn Corral.
 
But just like in game one, it was Medrano's speed which paid early dividends to get the Wildcats on the board. Medrano led off the bottom of the first inning by beating out a ground ball to third base for a base hit. Lexi Broussard then laid down a bunt to advance Medrano, but she wasn't happy staying at second on the sacrifice as she raced all the way to third. That set up Baldwin, whose fly ball to left field foul ground was caught, allowing Medrano to tag up and race home, beating the throw for the 1-0 lead.
 
From there, the game belonged to Falcon, who only faced real adversity in the fourth inning as she allowed back-to-back base hits with two outs, only to induce a pop up to get out of the jam with runners on first and second. The only other inning where the Jaguars got a base runner into scoring position was the sixth, moving a runner to second as the second out of the inning was recorded, but a pop-up to shallow left ended that threat as well with no runs scored.
 
The Wildcats got three base hits in the contest, one each by Medrano, Baldwin, and Cecilia Bookman. Medrano was 1-for-2 with a walk and scored LCU's lone run of the game, just like in game one. Baldwin was 1-for-2 with a RBI.
 
Falcon (6-5) threw all seven innings to pick up the complete game shutout, her second time keeping an opponent scoreless for the entire game this season. She allowed just five hits and no runs, didn't walk any batters and struck out four.
 
The Wildcats and Jaguars will determine the winner of the series on Saturday as the two teams play the rubber game with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. at Wildcat Park.