DECATUR, Ala. -- Mount Mercy lost its grip on a 4-1 lead and dropped a 12-5 decision to 13th-ranked William Carey (Miss.) in the opening game of pool play at the 2010 NAIA Softball National Championship on Thursday at Wilson Morgan Park.

After the Lady Crusaders (41-13) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Mustangs (36-10) got an RBI double by senior right fielder Emily Madsen and a two-run homer by senior shortstop Brianna Williams in the bottom half of the inning, then an RBI ground out by Madsen in the second to put Mount Mercy up, 4-1.

William Carey scored nine unanswered runs before the Mustangs could put another run on the board, a solo homer by junior third baseman Jessica Magnuson in the sixth. The Lady Crusaders got to sophomore right-hander Becca Smith (26-4) for eight earned runs on 13 hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Mount Mercy continues pool play on Friday against fifth-ranked California State-San Marcos at 1:00 p.m. at Wilson Morgan Park.