WACO, Texas — The Prairie View A&M softball team (1-6) dropped a pair of contests during day one of the Baylor University-hosted Getterman Classic Friday. The Lady Panthers were nipped 6-5 by Western Illinois and 7-4 by Baylor.

Western Illinois 6, PVAMU 5
The Lady Panthers started quickly against the Leathernecks as sophomore Bianca Cruz slapped a two-run double to get the scoring started in the first inning. Prairie View A&M added to its advantage in the next frame when sophomore Ryleigh Love scored on a passed ball.

Western Illinois managed to tie the game 3-3 in the third and pulled ahead with an unearned run in the fourth, but sophomore Serena Antone tied it with RBI single in the fifth that scored senior Gabrielle Fonseca. In the sixth, senior Alyssa Garcia extended the advantage with a RBI single that scored Jayla Richard. However, Western Illinois managed to sneak off with the win with a RBI single in the sixth and a walk-off single in the seventh.

Garcia was 2-for-4, but the Lady Panthers stranded 13 runners in the game. Senior Crystal Castllio struck out five in six innings of work.

Baylor 7, PVAMU 4
The Lady Panthers again drew first blood as junior Alexis Freeman scored on a RBI groundout by senior Daneisha Hinton, but Baylor posted five unanswered runs in the second inning, leaving Prairie View A&M to play catchup.
 
The Lady Panthers were up to the task as a two-run double by senior Cameron Lavergne brought Antone and junior Kimberly Hernandez across home plate, cutting the deficit to 5-3. However, a late strikeout left one on base and sent the team into the fifth inning down 5-3. Garcia scored Freeman on a base hit in the fifth to bring Prairie View A&M within one, but a pair of Baylor runs in the fifth were too much to overcome.
 
Junior Kara Fucci (1-1) allowed only six hits throughout four innings, and delivered a single strikeout in the loss.
 
Next Up:
The Lady Panthers continue play in the Getterman Classic versus Grand Canyon on Saturday.