LAFAYETTE, La. | The UAH softball team opened the 2025 campaign at the Mardi Gras Invitational on Friday afternoon with a 10-2 loss to Harding and an 8-4 win over Washburn in nonconference action.
 
UAH is back in action on Saturday with matchups against Texas A&M Kingsville at 3:30 p.m. and Southern Arkansas at 6 p.m.
 
Game one: Harding 10, UAH 2
Harding clung to a 2-1 lead through the fourth inning, before rallying for four runs apiece in the fifth and sixth innings to lead the Bisons to a 10-2 win over UAH in the season-opener.
 
Jada Henderson registered the lone extra-base hit for the Chargers, which was an RBI double in the bottom of the first.
 
Lawren Hayes reached base twice with two walks, while scoring one run and stealing one base.
 
Megan Shurtz started in the circle for the Chargers, turning in 4.2 innings with six runs allowed and four strikeouts. She took the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season.
 
Game two: UAH 8, Washburn 4
Katie Bracken highlighted the night cap on Friday with a 17-strikeout performance against Washburn, as the junior went the full 7.0 innings with three earned runs allowed. Her 17 strikeouts are a program record for a single game, as she joins Lane Davis as the only UAH pitchers to have games with 15 or more strikeouts on two occasions in their careers.
 
The Chargers came from behind to finish off the day with a win, as UAH scored five runs in the top of the seventh to vault a 4-3 deficit entering the final frame.
 
Henderson knocked in a team-high three RBI while collecting her second double of the season. Maddie Cartron also had a double in the contest, clearing a two-RBI, two-bagger in the top of the seventh.