LUBBOCK, Texas – St. Edward's softball opened the season on Friday and won their first match against Newman 10-1 before falling 11-3 to Southern Nazarene.

GAME 1: SEU 10- NEWMAN 1

St. Edward's started the game strong, getting runners in scoring position in the first two innings, but it wasn't until the third that they were able to push one across the plate. A sacrifice fly by JORDAN NEELY brought in the first run and MORGAN ARCIA's two-out double drove in the in the second to put the Hilltoppers up 2-0.

Arcia took the game over from the plate, posting a two-run homerun in the fifth and followed with a grand slam as part of a six-run sixth inning to lead to the run rule victory.

Arcia was outstanding in her SEU debut, going 3-4 from the plate with seven RBI. Genisa Marrero Carter and TY'ERYKA PRESTON both went 2-3.

REAGAN CARTER earned the win in the circle, allowing just one run on two hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

GAME 2: SEU 3 – SOUTHERN NAZARENE 11

It was Southern Nazarene that jumped on the board early, posting two runs in the first and three in the third to take a 5-0 lead. KATHRYN CONNELLY got two of those runs back with one swing of the bat with a two-run shot to drive home MORGAN LEWIS.

SNU extended their lead with one run in the fifth before unloading for five runs in the sixth. SEU's comeback came up short as they added just one run in the sixth.

EMILY KLANIKA suffered the loss, allowing five runs on five hits with four walks and one strikeout. Connelly led at the plate, going 2-3 with two RBI while Lewis was also 2-3 with one run scored.

The Hilltoppers continue their long opening weekend with two games on Saturday, facing UC Colorado Springs at 5 pm and CSU-Pueblo at 7 pm.