RUSTON, La. – The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team started the 2019 campaign at the Louisiana Tech Invitational Saturday, dropping both of its opening games to Southeast Missouri State and Abilene Christian.
 
The Knights suffered an 8-0 defeat to Southeast Missouri State in its first game of the day, and despite a late rally against Abilene Christian, the Knights fell in the afternoon game, 4-2.
 
Both games saw the Knights get off to a slow start at the plate and the opposition scoring early runs to make the Knights have to play from behind.
 
Junior Madison Emerson led the Knights offensively with three hits over the two games and a run scored. Senior Reanna Cervantes and freshman Trisha Cook each collected RBIs in the Abilene Christian game.
 
In the opening inning of the 2019 season, the Redhawks (6-3) opened the game with a three-run first, scoring off a single and a two-run homer. Freshman Riley De Laval led off the bottom half of the frame with a walk and advanced to third on a walk and a fielder's choice but was unable to score.
 
The deficit grew to 5-0 in the fourth inning on a two-run single, and the Redhawks added two additional run in the fifth with a RBI triple and a fielder's choice. They then added the final run on a home run in the sixth inning.
 
Emerson collected the Knights' only two hits on a single up the middle in the bottom of the third and a single through the right side in the sixth inning.
 
Junior Erica Johnson started the first game for the Knights, recording two strikeouts in four innings of work. Junior Irene Herrera relieved Johnson in the fifth inning, and sophomore Abby England pitched the sixth inning for the Knights, striking out one batter.
 
The Knights collected three hits over the first two innings against Abilene Christian and loaded the bases in the second inning, but they could not push a run cross. The Wildcats (3-5) then tallied two unearned runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the early lead.
 
After Abilene Christian tacked on two more runs in the third inning, FDU rallied in the top half of the fifth with Emerson reaching on an error, advancing to second and later scoring on a Cook single up the middle, making it 4-1.
 
The Knights again put runners on base in the seventh inning, and Cervantes plated De Laval on a single up the middle to cut the deficit down to two. Abilene Christian, however, secured the final two outs of the inning to save their victory.

FDU finished with more hits in the game than the Wildcats, 5-3. Seniors Holly Mercier and Serena Meehan collected their first hits of the season along with Cervantes, Cook and Emerson.
 
Senior Baylee Ports started in the circle against Abilene Christian, allowing only two earned runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts. England then allowed only one hit and a walk while striking out four.
 
FDU finishes out the LA Tech Invitational with two more games Sunday, taking on Wichita State at 9 a.m., CT, before playing the host Lady Techsters at 3 p.m., CT.