McNeese takes run-rule win over A&M Corpus Christi

LAKE CHARLES-  McNeese softball defeated Texas A&M-Commerce 9-0 (five inning) Friday night in the first game of the Cowgirls’ Southland Conference home opening series.  The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.

For McNeese (20-10, 4-0 SLC), the shutout is the third in four SLC games to start the conference season.

Another solid pitching performance by senior Whitney Tate who improved to 10-2 on the season coupled with an offense that scored nine runs on 11 hits.  McNeese has picked up 10 or more hits in four of the last six games.

Tate retired eight of the first nine batters she faced before giving up her first hit of the game, a single to Kaydee Bennett in the third inning.  Tate would go on to allow one more hit in the fourth inning before being replaced by freshman Lindsay Davis in the fifth inning.  Tate ended the game with four strikeouts and one walk.  Davis retired the three batters she faced in order to end the game.

Offensively, Chloe Gomez and Crislyne Moreno led the Cowgirls with two hits apiece while Mariana Torres, this week’s SLC Hitter of the Week picked up where she left off.  Torres’ bases clearing triple in the third inning put the Cowgirls up 5-0.  McNeese added another run in the third on a Bouvier ground out for the 6-0 lead.

The Cowgirls took the early lead by taking advantage of three straight walks by AMCC’s starting pitcher Julia Sanchez to load the bases. Rylie Bouvier then reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Alayis Seneca and Gomez scored before a throw down to second got Bouvier attempting to steal.

A three run fourth that started with a Torres sacrifice fly for a 7-0 lead was increased to 9-0 on a RBI single by Bouvier and a single by Jada Munoz scored Bouvier for thee 9-0 lead.

A&M-Commerce (5-22, 1-3 SLC) picked up its other hit in the fourth inning, that coming off a double by Diamond Sefe.  Sanchez took the loss to fall to 3-7 on the year.  The Lions used a total of three pitchers.

NOTES

• – McNeese improved to 20-10 overall and 4-0 in the SLC. Of McNeese’s four SLC wins, three have been shutouts.
• – McNeese has won six of its last seven games
• – McNeese has picked up 10 or more hits in 4 of its last 6 games
• – Whitney Tate improved to 10-2 overall and 3-0 in the SLC with the win
• – McNeese had three extra base hits (Gomez and Moreno each had a double, Torres had a triple)
• – Chloe Gomez and Crislyne Moreno led McNeese with two hits apiece
• – Marianna Torres led McNeese with 4 RBI
• – Freshman Rylee Eyster picked up her first collegiate hit with a single in the fourth inning