Softball: McNeese splits on final day of Scrapyard Tournament

CONROE, Texas — McNeese softball bounced back from a 2-0 loss to UAB Sunday morning on Day 2 of the Scrapyard Tournament with a 5-0 win over Southland foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to end tournament play with a 3-1 record.

The Cowgirls improve to 8-2 on the year and end their week in Texas with a 4-1 record with wins over Texas A&M, South Dakota State, UAB, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Whitney Tate was solid both in the circle and at the plate for the Cowgirls in the win over TAMU-CC. The rookie picked up her first collegiate win and went 3 for 4 at the plate with a triple, three RBI and two stolen bases. In the circle, Tate allowed seven hits, one earned run, and struck out six in 6.0 innings.

Tayler Strother also had a good day at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a triple and three RBI.

The Cowgirls collected 10 hits in the game, its second most this season. Caylon Brabham went 2 for 4 with two doubles and scored two runs.

McNeese jumped on the Islanders early with three runs to open the game behind a one out single by Alayis Seneca followed by a double to center field by Caylon Brabham. A ground out by Jil Poullard put McNeese on the board first for a 1-0 lead. Brabham came home on an error and a single to center by Tayler Strother scored Brinlee for a 3-0 lead.

The Cowgirls tacked on two more runs in the third on a two-out triple by Whitney Tate that scored Haylee Brinlee and Strother for a 5-0 lead.

Strother put the Cowgirls up 7-0 in the fifth with a one out two RBI triple that brought Brinlee and Brabham home.

The Islanders avoided the shutout with a run in the bottom of the sixth via a two out single up the middle.

McNeese got the run back in the seventh on a RBI single to left field by Tate that scored Toni Perrin who was pinch running for Strother.

The Islanders pick up another run on a leadoff homerun in the bottom of the seventh off Cowgirl reliever Caroline Settle.

In the opening game on Sunday, UAB picked up two hits and capitalized on a Cowgirl error to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth then added a run in the fifth on a leadoff solo homerun to extend the lead to 2-0.

McNeese picked up two hits in the game with singles coming from Seneca and Brabham.

Saleen Flores took the loss to fall to 2-1 on the year. Flores gave up six hits, one earned run and struck out one.

The Cowgirls return home Tuesday to host South Alabama and UL-Monroe Wednesday.

SCORING vs. UAB
B4- UAB took the early lead on two hits and a Cowgirl error (UAB 1, McNeese 0)
B5- A leadoff homerun put UAB up 2-0 (UAB 2, McNeese 0)

SCORING vs. Texas A&M-CC
T1- Cowgirls score three runs on three hits and an Islander error (McNeese 3, TAMU-CC 0)
T3- A two out triple by Whitney Tate scores two more runs (McNeese 5, TAMU-CC 0)
T5- A triple by Tayler Strother scored two runs (McNeese 7, TAMU-CC 0)
B6- TAMUCC scored their first run of the game on a two out single up the middle (McNeese 7, TAMU-CC 1)
T7- Tate single to left field that scored pinch runner Toni Perrin (McNeese 8, TAMU-CC 1)
B7- The second Islander run came off a homerun (McNeese 8, TAMU-CC 2)