HOUSTON, Texas--  McNeese softball captured the Houston Hilton Invitational with a 13-3, run-rule victory over DePaul Sunday. McNeese ended tournament play with a 4-1 record.
 
The Cowgirls (7-3) pounded out 14 hits including home runs by Hailey Drew, Bryanna Castro and Taylor Goree.  McNeese also got doubles from Drew, Erika Piancastelli, Emily Vincent, Lauren Langner and Dakota Matiko.
 
Castro ended the game 3 for 3 with three RBI and scored three runs.  Hailey Drew was 2 for 3 and also picked up three RBI.
 
Rachel Smith improved to 3-2 with the complete game victory. Smith gave up five hits, struck out three and walked two. Smith gave up one hit through four innings before giving up a double in the fifth. The Blue Devils picked up three more hits in the sixth.
 
McNeese scored at least one run in every inning with single runs in the first two, two in the third, fourth and fifth before putting an exclamation point on the game with five runs in the sixth.
 
After a ground out by Piancastelli for the first out of the game, the Cowgirl offensive outburst started with back-to-back doubles by Vincent and Drew.
 
Castro scored the second Cowgirls run after a single, stole third and came home on a Castro double to right center for a 2-0 lead.
 
Two more runs in the third came from a two-run homerun by Drew for a 4-0 lead. Goree gave McNeese a 6-0 lead in the fourth on another Cowgirl two run home run. The long ball is Goree's first of the season and fifth career.
 
Langner reached base in the fifth with a single to center, stole second and scored on a Catron single.  Catron added the second run of the inning when she scored on a sacrifice fly by Shanice Hagler to extend the lead to 8-0.
 
With DePaul scored a run in the bottom of the inning to halt the early run-rule defeat. 
 
The Cowgirls exploded for five runs on four hits in the sixth to take a 13-1 lead. A double by Piancastelli started the inning. She would come around to score on a RBI single off the bat of Tori Yanitor.  Yanitor put herself into scoring position on a steal then scored on a double down the left field line by Langner. Castro cleared the bases with a three run home run, her first career long ball.
 
DePaul scored two more runs in the sixth but it wouldn't be enough as the Cowgirls waked away with the victory.
 
McNeese will host Missouri State Friday in a 4 p.m. doubleheader as part of the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajun Invitational.  McNeese take on Hofstra a noon and UL-Lafayette at 2:30 Sunday. Both of these games will be played in Lafayette.