McNeese CAakes two Saturday to sweep softball series from Abilene Christian

LAKE CHARLES — McNeese softball completed its Southland Conference series sweep over Abilene Christian here Saturday with a 1-0 and 4-3 doubleheader win to improve to 18-7 overall and 3-0 in the SLC. The losses drop ACU to 7-17 overall and 0-3 in league play.

Both teams had opportunities to score several times throughout the day but weren’t able to get the timely hit or the defense came up with big plays to end scoring threats.

In the opening game, Tayler Strother led off the third inning with a double to third base and advanced to third on a sac bunt by Cori McCrary. Alayis Seneca brought Strother home with a single to left field to break a scoreless game.

That run would hold as Alexsandra Flores relieved starter Saleen Flores in the fifth inning to preserve the win and pick up her second save of the season by allowing one hit, one walk and four strikeouts including strikeouts to the first three batters she faced.

Saleen improved to 6-3 on the year with the win after allowing five hits and picked up two strikeouts.

McNeese missed a chance to tack on more runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, leaving a runner stranded in scoring position on all three innings.

In total, both teams left 12 baserunners stranded, six for each team.

In the nightcap, ACU took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third on singles by Calie Burris and Val Rudd.

McNeese responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 3-2 lead. A single by Seneca and walks by Caylon Brabham and Haylee Brinlee loaded the based for Kaylee Lopez. Lopez’s bases clearing double to left center scored all three baserunners for the lead.

ACU tied the game with a double down the left field line by Samantha Bradley that scored Blair Clayton who led the inning off with a single to short. Whitney Tate got Burris to ground out and pinch runner Lady Johnson was picked off at third base in a run down for the second out. After a double by Kayla Keeling, Lopez robbed Rudd of a potential two run home run as Lopez extended her hand over the left field wall to make the catch for the third out.

McCrary and Seneca teamed up again in the bottom of the seventh to produce the game winning run. McCrary led off with a single up the middle and Seneca’s walk off tripled to right field brought McCrary home for the game winning run.

Alexsandra picked up the win to improve to 5-2 on the year after allowing one hit in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Both teams picked up 10 hits apiece and both teams left seven runners stranded.
McNeese will hit the road again next week with a single game at UL-Monroe on Wed., March 11 before continuing on to Conway, Arkansas for a Southland Conference series against Central Arkansas next weekend.

McNEESE NOTES
•- McNeese combined for 16 hits on the day including four extra base hits.
•- McCrary, Strother, and Lopez all had one double apiece
•- Seneca had one triple
•- McCrary and Seneca both were 4 for 6 on the day
•- Lopez had three RBI on the day and Seneca and Toni Perrin each had two apiece
•- Alexsandra Flores picked up a win and a save on the day
•- Saleen Flores picked up the first game win
•- Cowgirls left a total of 13 baserunners stranded on the day (6 in game 1 and 7 in game 2)