HOUSTON, Texas—
Taylor Schmidt's first career grand slam helped McNeese to a 2-0 record on the first day of the Houston Hilton Invitational Friday. The Cowgirls defeated Houston 3-1 and UMass 5-3.
"We played well tonight as a team," said head coach
Joanna Hardin. "Alot of kids are getting opportunities and we are learning how to keep fighting every inning, together. I'm proud of how we finished the day as a team and look forward to more tough games the rest of the weekend."
McNeese (5-2) jumped on UMass early with five runs on three hits in the first inning. A bases loaded walk by
Morgan Catron gave the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead. The McNeese lead ballooned to 5-0 on Schmidt grand slam.
The Minutewomen scored two runs in the fourth to cut the McNeese lead to 5-2. UMass opened the inning with back-to-back walks and a two Cowgirl errors in the inning allowed both runners to scores.
UMass scored a single run in the seventh but McNeese freshman
Jolie Trahan struck out Tara Klee to end the game.
McNeese outhit the Minutewomen 6-3 with two of those hits being extra base hits. Besides Schmidt's grand slam in the first,
Taylor Goree picked up a pinch-hit tripled in the sixth.
Emily Vincent led the Cowgirls at the plate, going 2 for 3 and scored a run.
Lauren Langner and
Erika Piancastelli had one hit apiece.
Rachel Smith threw four shutout innings to pick up her second win of the season to improve to 2-1. Smith struck out six, gave up two unearned runs and walked four. Trahan picked up her first career save in relief of Smith in the fifth. Trahan gave up one run on three hits and struck out two.
"I'm very happy for Jolie getting her first innings of the season and coming away with the save," Hardin said. "She showed alot of guts and grit in the circle."
In the opening game, Houston took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Katie St. Pierre led the game off with a triple then scored on a double by Selena Hernandez.
McNeese responded with two runs in the second to take a 2-1 lead.
Lauren Langner led the inning off with a single to center, stole second and went to third on a fly ball to right by Catron. Langner tied the game at one apiece on a ground out to the pitcher.
Hailey Drew's firs career home run gave McNeese the 2-1 lead.
The Cowgirls added an insurance run in the sixth on a two out RBI single by Catron for a 3-1 McNeese lead.
Vincent and the Cowgirls held off a rally by Houston in the bottom of the seventh. The Cougars left two baserunners on. With two outs, Vincent got Courtney Klingler to fly out to right to end the game.
McNeese picked up six hits with six different players collecting one hit apiece. Vincent improved to 3-0 on the year with the complete game. Vincent struck out four and walked one batter.
McNeese will play Stephen F. Austin at 9 a.m. and Northern Iowa at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
