ABILENE, Texas—McNeese softball split a Southland Conference doubleheader Friday against Abilene Christian with an 8-0, five inning first game win before dropping its first conference game of the season with an 8-2 second game loss. The series will conclude Saturday with the rubber game beginning at noon.
 
McNeese (24-12, 10-1 SLC) collected 11 hits in the win and only four hits in the second game and committed three errors.
 
In the opener, McNeese opened the second inning with five runs on four hits highlighted by a three run home run by Erika Piancastelli. The home run is her 11^th of the season. Lauren Langner began the inning with a single to left center then stole second. After a Hailey Drew walk and a stolen base, Tori Yanitor singled up the middle two score both players for an early 2-0 lead.
 
Dakota Matiko kept things going for the Cowgirls with a single to right and moved into scoring position on the throw, setting up Piancastelli's homer that extended the Cowgirl lead to 5-0.
 
A double to left center by Langner in the third scored Bryanna Castro for a 6-0 McNeese lead. Castro singled to center field to lead things off for the Cowgirls.
 
Piancastelli struck again in the fourth with her second home run of the game, a solo shot over the right centerfield wall to extend the McNeese lead to 7-0.
 
McNeese picked up the run rule victory when Langner lined a shot into the left field corner for a double and went to third on a throwing error. A sacrifice fly to right by Drew brought Langner home for the 8-0 win.
 
Langner led the Cowgirls at the plate, going 3 for 3 with one RBI and scored two runs. Piancastelli was 2 for 3 with two home runs and four RBI.
 
Also going 2 for 3 in the game was Yanitor and Marisa Taunton. Yanitor also had two RBI.
 
Junior Emily Vincent had a no-hitter going until she gave up her only hits of the game in the bottom of the fifth. K. Singleton's pinch-hit single to short spoiled the no-hitter. A two out single to left field by T. Brown was the other ACU hit.
 
After a walk by Kristin Watkins loaded the bases, Vincent got Peyton Hedrick to fly out to right to end the game as Vincent picked up her third shutout of the season to improve to 10-2 overall. Vincent ended the game with five strikeouts and walked two.
 
In the second game, McNeese took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on RBI's by Taunton and Piancastelli. ACU (6-23, 2-9 SLC) would score at least two runs in each of the next three innings, getting three in the fourth and sixth and two in the fifth.
 
Picking up the other two hits in the game for the Cowgirls was Yanitor and Drew.
 
Jamie Allred suffered the loss, falling to 5-6 on the season. Allred gave up five runs, four earned on eight hits while striking out three and walked two in 4 2/3 innings. Vincent pitched the final 1 1/1 innings and gave up three runs on three hits with one strikeout.