Cowgirls sweep Friday twinbill at A&M Corpus Christi to open SLC play

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Preseason favorite McNeese softball open Southland Conference play with a doubleheader victory (5-4 (10 inn.) and 9-0 (5 inn.) over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday doubleheader.

In the opening game, Kaylee Lopez’s pinch hit RBI single in the top of the 10th inning broke a 4-4 tied for the victory. The Cowgirls’ performance heated up to secure the second game of the day with a 9-0 (5 inn.) run-rule win.

Game Notes

The Cowgirls took an early 4-0 lead in the second inning; however, the Islanders rallied with a single run in the fourth followed by three runs in the sixth to tie the game 4-4. Timely strikeouts by Ashley Vallejo and solid defense kept the Islanders scoreless for three innings. Kaylee Lopez’s pinch hit RBI single in the top of the 10th inning scored Reese Reyna from second base to give McNeese a 5-4 Southland Conference game one opening series win.

Key Moments:

Second Inning

• A two RBI double by Reese Reyna gave the Cowgirls a 2-0 lead
• An Islander error allowed Toni Perrin to score from third (McN 3, TAMU-CC 0)
• An RBI double by Seneca brought home Reyna (McN 4, TAMU-CC 0)

Fourth Inning

• An Islander RBI put Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on the board (McN 4, TAMU-CC 1)

Sixth Inning

• A two RBI triple by the Islanders decreased the Cowgirl lead to one  (McN 4, TAMU-CC 3)
• An Islander pinch hit RBI single tied the game 4-4

Tenth Inning

• Reyna represented the go ahead run after reaching base with a one out double.
• An RBI single by pinch hitter Kaylee Lopez brought home Reyna to give the Cowgirls a one run advantage (McN 5, TAMU-CC 4)

Game Notes:

• Ashley Vallejo (6-6) picked up the win in relief without allowing a run on four hits in 4.1 innings
• The Cowgirls left four on base, three of which were within scoring position
• The Islanders left nine on base, seven of which were within scoring position
• McNeese had six errors while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had one
• Starting pitcher Shaelyn Sanders gave up four runs on five hits in 5.2 innings before being replaced by Vallejo
• Reyna led the Cowgirls with two hits, two runs, and two RBI
• Toni Perrin, Chole Gomez, and Kennedy Reynolds all scored one run apiece

Game Two

Consistent scoring in four straight innings and capitalizing on Islander errors led McNeese to a five-inning 9-0 run-rule victory over Texas A&M-CC.

Key Moments:

First Inning

• A bases loaded walk by Reyna brought home Seneca (McN 1, TAMU-CC 0)
• An RBI double by Chloe Gomez scored Lopez to give the Cowgirls a 2-0 lead

Second Inning

•  Seneca’s RBI single brought home Kendall Talley (McN 3, TAMU-CC 0)
• An RBI single by Jil Poullard scored Seneca (McN 4, TAMU-CC 0)
• A third RBI single by Crislyne Moreno scored Poullard  (McN 5, TAMU-CC 0)

Third Inning

• Gomez scored off a Talley RBI (McN 6, TAMU-CC 0)
• Perrin capitalized on Islander errors to steal home (McN 7, TAMU-CC 0)

Fourth Inning

• Poullard scored off Islander error McN 8, TAMU-CC 0)
• A dropped fly ball gave Reyna the opportunity to make it home and was the final run scored (McN 9, TAMU-CC 0)

Game Notes:

• Whitney Tate was masterful in the circle, picking up the complete shutout win. Tate allowed only three hits
• Gomez led at the plate with one run, three hits, and one RBI
• Poullard and Seneca scored two runs apiece
• The Cowgirls drew three walks
• Texas A&M-CC had four errors while McNeese had one
• Poullard, Talley, and Moreno went two for two at the plate
• The Cowgirls had 11 hits while the Islanders had three