GULF SHORES, Ala. – College of Saint Mary dropped its two softball games on Friday at the Gulf Coast Invitational, falling 4-0 to Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University and then 13-4 to 15^th-ranked LSU Alexandria (La.).

In the opener, the Flames managed just one hit off Kylee Brown, a sixth-inning leadoff single by Maycee Hays.

"We just didn't hit,'' CSM Coach Carolyn Todd Bray said. "At first, we were watching too many strikes. Then we started swinging at everything. We need to have better approaches at the plate and hunt strikes.''

The Flames squandered a solid, complete-game performance by Shaylynn Campbell in the circle. She allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out five and walking one.

"Shay pitched great,'' Bray said. "I was proud of her for her first game on dirt. It took a little bit to figure out the strike zone, but she made great adjustments.''

Defensively, Hays and Megan Garcia made great diving catches, Bray said. Garcia and Kayla Reed also made a great defensive play to retire a trail runner, she said.

Facing an elite opponent in game two, CSM couldn't muster the performance necessary to pull an upset.

"LSU is very good, and we didn't play well,'' Bray said. "We can't make the mistakes we made and beat teams – especially ranked teams.''

CSM finished with three hits in the second game, a double by Haley Anderson and singles by Kayla Kitzman – her first career hit – and Cassie Wiseman. Wiseman's produced a run in the fifth inning, while Campbell drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Makenna Earnest and Macy Santoni added RBIs by drawing bases-loaded walks.

Bray said positives were the efforts of Victoria Placzek and Allyson Lynch, who made her collegiate pitching debut and "did great.''

The Flames return to action Saturday in the tournament with games at 9 a.m. CST against Nelson (Ariz.) University and at 11:15 a.m. against Campbellsville (Ky.) University.