The Lady Dusters dropped a crucial game in the race for the last conference playoff spot, 6-5, to El Paso Community College Thursday in the first game of a midday doubleheader.

The Dusters (22-24, 9-14) trail El Paso (26-18, 13-10) by four games with 12 remaining.

The second game was called in the eighth due to darkness with the teams tied at 4-4. The game is slated to be completed April 15.

Starter Patricia Gonzales left the game with shoulder soreness after surrendering five runs in the first two innings.

Head coach Rodney McNeill said Gonzales told him felt fine while warming up.

“Had I known she was going to struggle, I would have went with someone else,” he said. “(Reliever) Michelle Jones did a good job.”

Trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Jessica Prewitt drove in two runs with a triple, but the Dusters could not plate the tying run, stranding a runner in scoring position.

“We were more into the game, and we were fighting,” McNeill said. “In the first game, I don’t know what else they could have done. They gave it their all and it just didn’t happen.”

Amber House pitched the second game, which was halted at dusk.

Down 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh, WTC got an RBI from Prewitt, who came around to score the tying run.

Prewitt hit four triples and a double in the two games.

WTC will dedicate the park -- to be named United Field -- at a ceremony before the first game of a doubleheader with Howard College.

The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., and the first game will start at 1 p.m.