AUSTIN, Texas – After spending much of the season on the right side of thin-margin contests, the St. Edward's softball team opened conference play with a pair of losses to the Texas Woman's Pioneers in two closely-contested games. 

Game 1: Texas Woman's 2, St. Edward's 0

Texas Woman's scored two early runs on St. Edward's starting pitcher MCKENNA LEAMON (1-4) before first-year KYLEN PADGETT took the pitcher's circle in a strong outing against Pioneers' ace Alyssa LeBlanc (3-2). 

LeBlanc did most of the damage for Texas Woman's, opening the game with an RBI single at the plate in the top of the first and recording 10 strikeouts in the pitcher's circle for the complete-game shutout. Delaney Boley added an insurance run in the top of the third inning with a one-out solo blast. 

Padgett replaced Leamon in the pitcher's circle with one on and no outs and allowed only one hit, one walk, and one hit batter with no runs the rest of the way. The first-year pitcher threw two strikeouts and was stellar with her glove, fielding a comeback line drive and two groundouts. 

St. Edward's threatened in the sixth inning with a leadoff infield single from ARIANNA VIDALES. Vidales stole second before GABI LOPEZ went down swinging, then advanced to third on a MEGAN MORRIS groundout to LeBlanc. SLOANE HILL drew a walk to put runners on the corners with two outs, but LeBlanc ended the inning with a strikeout. The Hilltoppers went down in order in the bottom of the seventh. 

Game 2: Texas Woman's 3, St. Edward's 2

St. Edward's usually flawless defense committed four errors in a 3-2 loss to Texas Woman's, including a pair of critical mistakes in the top of the seventh to cede the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly with bases loaded. 

CADIE BELLE CURRIE put together another solid performance in the pitcher's circle, surrendering only two hits and a single earned run in the three runs scored on her. 

Texas Woman's opened the game with a leadoff walk from Kennedy Marlow. Then, Tylar Lane reached on a throwing error from third to first, but right fielder KATIE DILLON did a spectacular job of backing up the play, fielding the errant throw, and throwing out Marlow at third. 

Delaney Boley followed with a double. Lane advanced to third, then scored when the throw ahead of the runner was mishandled at the plate for the unearned run. 

St. Edward's responded in the bottom of the inning, plating two runs. Vidales led off with an infield single, followed by TWU starter Kelsie Briggs hitting Lopez. The two Hilltoppers stole second and third to advance into scoring position, setting up MEGAN MORRIS's RBI single to left to score the Hilltoppers' first run with Lopez remaining at second. 

RENNA TOOMEY executed a sacrifice bunt to move Morris and Lopez to second and third, followed by LEAH HERRERA's sacrifice fly to center to score Lopez for the 2-1 lead. 

St. Edward's had a nearly identical start to the bottom of the third, with a leadoff single from Vidales, Lopez getting hit by a pitch, and Morris bunting both of them over. Then, Briggs hit Toomey to load the bases, ending her afternoon with Jalee McDonald taking over to get out of the inning unscathed. 

Toomey hit a two-out triple to right-center in the fifth but could not score after Herrera made solid contact on a shot directly to left fielder Makana Morton to end the inning. 

Currie's control waned slightly in the sixth, surrendering a leadoff single, then a one-out walk followed by a hit batter to load the bases. Morton followed with a groundout to second while the tying run scored. 

Texas Woman's Ciana Rodriguez started the top of the seventh by reaching on an error, followed by Marlow grounding out to first to move Rodriguez over. Then, Currie walked Lane. Toomey replaced her in the pitcher's circle, and Texas Woman's loaded the bases on an error. 

LeBlanc drove in the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Rodriguez, who was nearly thrown out at the plate on another brilliant play from Dillon. 

Morris hit a two-out single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh, but LeBlanc replaced McDonald and struck out Toomey for the save. 

St. Edward's falls to 6-5 after the losses, including an 0-2 conference record. Texas Woman's improves to 6-5 and 2-0 in conference play. The teams will meet again tomorrow at noon.