LAKE CHARLES—McNeese softball fell behind early, allowing Tulsa to score two first inning runs in a 5-2 loss here Friday night.

Things went south for the Cowgirls in the Tulsa's (6-6) first at bat as Julia Hollingsworth led the game off with a hit down the left field line. The ball hit the wall and scooted all the way to the wall in left field, all the while Hollingsworth was rounding the bases and ended up with an inside the park home run for a 1-0 lead. The Hurricane would score another run in the inning to take a 2-0 lead.

McNeese (5-9) struggled at the plate and didn't get their first base runner on the paths until Marissa Taunton's leadoff walk in the fourth inning. The Cowgirls weren't able to bring Taunton home as Morgan Catron popped out and Erika Piancastelli and Tori Yanitor both stuck out to end the inning.

Tulsa extended its lead to 3-0 in the third then added two more in the sixth to take a 5-0 lead.

McNeese avoided its second straight home shutout by scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh on a two run home run by Yanitor, her third of the season to cut the lead to 5-2. After a line out by Hailey Drew, Alexandria Saldivar drew a one out walk but that would be all for the Cowgirls as Rachel Smith and Shanice Hagler both struck out to end the game.

McNeese was held to three hits, one each coming from Erika Piancastelli, Yanitor and Saldivar. Smith was on the losing end, falling to 1-3 on the year.

The Cowgirls will travel to Ruston on Sunday to face Northern Iowa at 12:30 p.m. and Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m. Sunday before returning home next Tuesday to host South Alabama at 1 p.m.