Feb. 27, 2015 Final Stats | Photo Gallery 
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LOS ANGELES - LMU softball opened a four-game home stand Friday afternoon with a doubleheader against College of Charleston. The Lions got a pair of home runs from Stephanie Maciel and looked to rally in both games, but fell, 4-3 and 7-4, at Smith Field.
In the opener, the Cougars (9-4) scored once in the second, twice on the third and once in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead.
The Lions (4-11) put together a three-run sixth as Amanda Dirks tallied an RBI single that scored Rachel Williams and Stephanie Crist's sacrifice fly scored Maciel. Dirks would score the inning's third run on a passed ball. But the inning would end on an Alicia Brown strikeout and the Lions could not rally again in the seventh.
Crist (1-5) took the loss for the Lions after giving up a pair of walks and seven hits for four earned runs.
In the nightcap, Maciel began the scoring with a solo home run to center in the bottom of the first. LMU starting pitcher Rachael Farrington held the Cougars scoreless through two, but they would pounce for three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to build a 6-1 advantage.
LMU got one run back in the fourth on an RBI-double by Lindsey Matoi, but College of Charleston tacked on another run in the sixth. After making it 7-3 in the sixth, Maciel led off the seventh with her second long ball of the game, looking to start a late rally for the Lions. But the Cougars' closer Valerie Cassell came in to record the final two outs and earn her first save of the year.
Maciel, Crist and Matoi all finished the game with two hits. Farrington (2-6) took the loss for LMU after giving up three earned runs in 2.2 innings. Andy Wellins pitched the final 4.1 innings, scattering five hits for four runs.
LMU is back in action Saturday morning, hosting Bakersfield in a doubleheader beginning at 9:30 a.m.
