STEPHENVILLE, Texas---  Tarleton State softball used the first inning to score all five of its runs and held of McNeese in a 5-4 season opening win in the first game of the Tarleton Texan Classic Thursday night.
 
McNeese (0-1) will face Bucknell at 1:15 p.m. and Marist at 3:30 p.m. Friday.  The Cowgirls will face these two teams Saturday as well.
 
Cowgirl starter Lindsay Davis got off to a rocky start to the season by allowing five earned runs on three hits including a grand slam as well as three walks in the opening frame to put the Cowgirls behind early.
 
After allowing a leadoff single in the second inning, Davis was replaced by Ryann Schexnayder who tossed the final five innings.  In relief, Schexnayder didn't allowed a run to cross the plate after giving up four hits.
 
McNeese got on the board in the third inning when Adriana Mireles reached base on a bunt single to the pitcher, stole second and scored on a single to right field by Jada Muñoz.  Dibbley followed Muñoz's single with a homerun to left field to cut the lead to 5-3.
 
After two scoreless innings, McNeese added a single run in the sixth on a RBI sacrifice fly by Samantha Mundine that brought Dibbley home.  Dibbley reached base on a leadoff walk.
 
The Cowgirls failed to tie the game in the seventh after two strikeouts and a ground out in their last at bat of the game.
 
McNeese ended the game with six hits and was led by Reese Reyna who went 2 for 3 while Dibbley picked up two of the four RBI for the Cowgirls.
 
Tarleton picked up seven hits in the game with seven different players collecting on hit apiece.
 
Shelby Schultz allowed four runs on six hits with three walks to pick up the complete game win.