McNeese caps Senior Day with run rule win, series clincher over UIW

LAKE CHARLES – In senior Adriana Ramirez’s final at bat at Joe Miller Field, her RBI double gave McNeese an 8-0 run rule walk off win over Incarnate Word in five innings in the rubber game of the Southland Conference series Saturday afternoon.

The Coegirls took the series 2-1 with both wins coming in run-rule victories while their rally fell short in the first game of the doubleheader, a 7-6 defeat.

With the win, the Cowgirls improve to 32-19 overall and 12-3 in the SLC while the Cardinals fall to 14-32 overall and 4-11 in the SLC.

“Following the first few innings of pitcher Whitney Tate cruising in the opening game, all of a sudden we could not find the strike zone and the Cardinals capitalized on it,” said head coach James Landreneau. They had some timely hits which put us in a huge deficit. The players did a great job fighting to get back into the game and we were able to get some traffic on base, but we couldn’t get the timely hits.

“It was a quick bounce back in the second game. Pitcher Ashley Vallejo did a good job minimizing damage and made some quality pitches. I thought our defense was excellent, making a number of big plays. We produced timely hits in front of Ramirez who was able to get the big knock. I am proud of that kid. She works hard every day and does not always get a lot of playing time, but she had made her opportunities count for us.”

Game One
A seven-run fourth inning was all UIW needed to defeat the Cowgirls 7-6 in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader and the second game of the series.

McNeese opened the bottom of the first inning by getting the first three batters on base via two walks and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Crislyne Moreno’s RBI single scored leadoff hitter Alayis Seneca for the early 1-0 lead. Kaylee Lopez’s sacrifice fly scored Talley later in the inning for a 2-0 lead.

After two scoreless innings, the Cardinals responded with seven runs on five hits along with one Cowgirl error to take a 7-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning.

McNeese got one run back in the bottom of the frame on a pinch-hit sacrifice fly by Caleigh Cross that scored Moreno to cut the lead to 7-3

The Cowgirls cut the lead to 7-6 with three runs on one hit and missed an opportunity to tie the game. Moreno’s sac fly, Ramirez and Willingham’s bases loaded walks provided the three runs in the inning to get the Cowgirls to within one run.

McNeese got the tying run on base with a leadoff single by Moreno but the Cowgirls couldn’t bring her around to tie the game as she was stranded following a fly out to left, a foul out to third base ,and a ground out to first to end the game.

Key Moments:
First Inning
• Moreno’s RBI single scored Seneca (McN 1, UIW 0)
• Talley scored on Lopez’s sac fly (McN 2, UIW 0)
Fourth Inning
• UIW took the lead by scoring seven run on five hits and one Cowgirl error (UIW 7, 2)
• Moreno scored on Cross’s sac fly (UIW 7, McN 3)
Fifth Inning
• Seneca scored on Moreno’s sacrifice fly (UIW 7, McN 4)
• Ramirez’s bases loaded walk scored Poullard (UIW 7, McN 5)
• Willingham’s bases loaded walk scored Lopez (UIW 7, McN 6)

Game Notes:
• Moreno led the Cowgirls at the plate going 3 for 3 with two RBI and one run scored
• Seneca was the only Cowgirls to score two runs, picking up two hits and one walk
• The Cowgirls scored three runs with sac flies
• Four Cowgirls scored one run
• Starting pitcher Whitney Tate (10-9) absorbed the loss earning one strikeout and giving up six runs on two hits in 3.2 innings of work
• Both teams used three pitchers
• Both teams left seven baserunners stranded
Game Two
McNeese bounced back in the rubber game with an 8-0 (5 inn.) walk off double by Ramirez to claim the series 2-1.

The Cowgirls picked up a one run lead in the bottom of the first inning with Poullard’s sacrifice fly that scored Seneca.
A six run second inning blew the game open for a 7-0 Cowgirl lead. Ramirez drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Willingham’s bases loaded walk scored Tiffany Steczo. The Cowgirls implemented a double steal that scored Cross for a 3-0 lead. Seneca’s single through the left side upped the Cowgirl lead to 4-0.

Following a Cardinal pitching change, Poullard reached on an error allowing Josie Willingham to score for a 5-0 lead. The final two runs of the inning came off a Lopez bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly by Steczo.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Cross singled and was replaced by pinch runner Erin Ardoin who stole second base, setting up Ramirez’s game winning RBI double.

Key Moments:
First Inning
• Seneca scored on Poullard’s sacrifice fly (McN 1, UIW 0)
Second Inning
• Willingham’s bases loaded walk scored Steczo (McN 2, UIW 0)
• Cross stole home (McN 3, UIW 0)
• Seneca’s RBI single scored Ramirez (McN 4, UIW 0)
• Poullard reached on an error that allowed Willingham to score (McN 5, UIW 0)
• Lopez’s bases-loaded walk scored Seneca (McN 6, UIW 0)
• Steczo’s sac fly scored Talley (McN 7, UIW 0)
Fifth Inning
• Ramirez’s RBI double scored Ardoin to end the game (McN 8, UIW 0)

Game Notes:
• Ashley Vallejo improved to 14-7 overall and remained undefeated at 7-0 in league action with the win. The shutout is also her seventh overall this season and fourth in conference games. She is currently tied for McNeese’s second most shutouts in an individual season. She gave up two hits and struck out four.
• Seneca led the Cowgirls at the plate with two hits, one RBI, and one RBI
• McNeese stole six bases
• The Cowgirls drew five walks, and the Cardinals drew three walks
• McNeese outhit UIW 7-2
• Six Cowgirls scored one run