HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Day one of the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagle Invitational closed out Friday with a pair of losses for SIUE softball.

The day began with SIUE and Tulsa waiting for field crews to clean up a wet field at the USM Softball Complex. The morning game started more than an hour late and pushed back the whole schedule.

The Cougars dropped game one of the day to Tulsa 8-0 in six innings. Lexi King led SIUE's offense with a four-inning leadoff single. Tulsa's Maura Moore struck out four for her second win of the season.

SIUE returned later in the afternoon to face former Ohio Valley Conference rival Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks edged the Cougars 4-3 despite a late charge.

King turned on the offense for SIUE with four hits and scored all three of SIUE's runs. Hayley Palm added two hits for SIUE.

"The bats came alive in the second game today," said SIUE Head Coach Ben Sorden. "We had some defensive miscues, but we'll learn from that."

SIUE was down 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh when King and Palm provided back-to-back hits. Lauren Yslava sent the ball to deep center field and gained a sacrifice fly to put the Cougars down by a single tally.

However, Jacksonville State's Sarah Currie closed out the game, going the distance and fanning six SIUE batters.

"We battled today," said Sorden. "Rylie Pindel had some key strikeouts in relief."

SIUE, 0-5, continues play at the Golden Eagle Invitational Saturday with two games. SIUE faces Southern Mississippi at 2:30 p.m. and Jacksonville State at 5 p.m.