LAKE CHARLES—The McNeese softball team grinded it out here Friday night and took advantage of two Southeastern Louisiana miscues late in the game to come away with a 3-1 win in the opening game of the Southland Conference series.
 
McNeese (31-16, 16-3 SLC) trailed the Lady Lions 1-0 after the first inning. Southeastern La. (22-25, 5-14 SLC) took the early lead off Cowgirl starter Emily Vincent who gave up two of her eight hits in the first inning.
 
Southeastern Louisiana's Caitlyn VanHemelryck held the Cowgirls in check for the first three innings after retiring the first nine batters she faced.
 
"We didn't play our best softball tonight but sometimes you just have to grind out seven innings and compete, " said head coach Joanna Hardin.
 
McNeese spoiled the potential perfect game in the fourth inning when Hailey Drew reached base with two outs after being hit by a pitch. That seemed to be the play that got things going for the Cowgirls. Morgan Catron's single to right center sent Drew to third but both players were left stranded after a ground out ended the inning.
 
Southeastern La. threatened to score in the fifth when Jaquelyn Ramon singled with two outs and stole both second and third. Vincent got Kinsey Nichols to go down swinging to keep the game to a one run lead.
 
McNeese tied game in the bottom of the inning when Taylor Goree drew a one out walk and moved into scoring position on a single to left by Shanice Hagler. Goree would move to third on a sacrifice bunt by Justyce McClain. Erika Piancastelli who had struck out and grounded out her two previous at bats to end her consecutive streaks of walk at 10 was intentionally walked which turned out in disastrous for the Lady Lions and a momentum change for the Cowgirls. On the fourth pitch to Piancastelli, the SE La. catcher missed the ball and Goree broke on the play and slid in safely at home to tie the game at one all.
 
Southeastern La. was looking to regain the momentum but it was Goree again who fielded a ground ball that richoted off Vincent's glove, touched second base and fired to Hagler at first for the double play to get the Cowgirls out of the inning.
 
"Taylor Goree was outstanding in all areas tonight," said Hardin. "When she scored on the intentional walk pass ball it completely shifted the momentum- it was such a heads up play and exactly what we needed at that point in the game. She then turned around the next inning and turns a key double play to get us out of the inning."
 
The Cowgirls took the lead in the sixth when Catron led the inning off with a single and one batter later went to third on a double by Vincent. Catron scored the go ahead run on a squeeze bunt by Goree for the 2-1 lead. Vincent would also score on the play on an error to add an insurance run and a 3-1 McNeese lead.
 
"Taylor has been playing at a very high level all year. Her performance tonight shows all the work and time she has invested over her career."
 
McNeese picked up four hits with two coming from Catron. Vincent and Goree had the other Cowgirl hits.
 
Vincent (12-2) allowed eight hits, struck out six without allowing a walk to earn the complete game victory.
 
Vanhemelryck fell to 4-6 on the year after giving up three runs, two earned on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
 
The teams will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday to conclude the series.