Dakota Matiko
Julie Fontenot
4
Florida Gulf Coast FGCU 0-1
6
Winner McNeese State MCN 1-0
Florida Gulf Coast FGCU
0-1
4
Final
6
McNeese State MCN
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
Florida Gulf Coast FGCU 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 4 8 0
McNeese State MCN 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 6 9 1

W: Vincent, Emily (1-0) L: MORGAN, Shel (0-0)

2
FIU FIU 2-1
3
Winner McNeese State MCN 2-0
FIU FIU
2-1
2
Final
3
McNeese State MCN
2-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
FIU FIU 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0
McNeese State MCN 0 0 0 0 1 2 X 3 5 0

W: Smith, Rachel (1-0) L: Graves, Shel (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball | | Pam LaFosse

Softball Opens Season In Dramatic Fashion



GULF SHORES, Ala.—McNeese softball opened the season in dramatic fashion with a 2-0 start and the Cowgirls gave first year head coach Joanna Hardin her first collegiate victory, and it's one she will never forget.
 
"It was a fun day," said head coach Joanna Hardin. "This is a special group of girls and it is only fitting that we started the season off this way. We want to be challenged and we want every game to be challenging."
 
The Cowgirls opened the first day of the South Alabama Sand Dollar Classic with a 6-4 win over Florida Gulf Coast off the bat of sophomore Dakota Matiko, then capped the day off with a 3-2 come from behind win over Florida International on a pinch hit home run by freshman Morgan Catron. The long ball is Catron's first of her career. 
 
With the Cowgirls trailing 2-1 after two innings against FGC, the Cowgirls scored two runs in the fourth to take a 3-2. Matiko's RBI ground out to short scored Taylor Goree and Hailey Drew doubled to left that scored Taylor Schmidt.
 
The lead didn't hold up as FGC's Chandler Middlebrook tied the game with a solo homerun in the sixth.
 
McNeese's Jamie Allred got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded with one out Allred through out Kelsey Huff at home for the second. Middlebrook grounded out to first to end the threat.
 
The Cowgirls went down in order in the bottom of the seven then FGC took a 4-3 lead in the eighth, setting up the dramatic ending.
 
Tori Yanitor was placed on second base and Schmidt walked before Matiko hit the three run blast over the left field wall for the Cowgirl win.
 
Emily Vincent picked up the win in relief of Allred and Matiko led the Cowgirls at the plate with three hits.
 
The Cowgirls capped the day off with a 3-2 come from behind win over Florida International on a pinch hit two run home run by freshman Morgan Catron. The Cowgirls picked up five hits in the game but there was no bigger hit than Catron's.
 
Sophomore Rachel Smith threw a complete game, giving up three hits and struck out nine.
 
McNeese will face Southern Miss at noon and preseason 23rd ranked South Alabama at 6 p.m. Saturday.  The Cowgirls will conclude tournament play with a 1 p.m. game against preseason no. 3 Alabama on Sunday.
 
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