LAKE CHARLES-- The McNeese softball team completed its Southland Conference series sweep over Southeastern Louisiana here Saturday with a 9-1 (6 inn.) win in the first game of a doubleheader before completing the sweep with a 10-3 win.
McNeese sophomore All-American catcher
Erika Piancastelli tied the school career homerun record of 38 held by Heather Moreau with her 20
th homerun of the season in the second game when she blasted a 2-1 pitch over the left field wall to give the Cowgirls (33-10, 18-3 SLC) a 4-2 lead.
"Being a part of this whole process with Erika has been cool," said head coach
Joanna Hardin. "She is so humble it has been fun, very glad that she tied it on our home field. It was a huge moment for out team as it gave us the lead and one we never gave up."
Piancastelli's homerun ignited the Cowgirl offense that put up three more runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 7-2 with RBI's coming from
Morgan Catron,
Tori Yanitor and
Emily Vincent.
Another three run inning in the sixth is all the Cowgirls would need as the defense behind reliever
Jolie Trahan (2-4) was rock solid and helped Trahan pick up her second win of the season. Trahan gave up one, unearned run, two hits and walked one in six complete innings to earn the victory.
Piancastelli got the offense going again in sixth with a leadoff double. Piancastelli advanced to third on a pass ball and later scored on Lady Lion error.
Hailey Drew reached on a walk and Catron reached on an error. Drew scored on a RBI by
Emily Vincent and Catron stole home for the third run of the inning for a 10-3 lead.
Southeastern La. (22-27, 5-16 SLC) took the early lead in the game by scoring two runs in the first inning that was aided by two walks from Cowgirl starter
Rachel Smith. One of SE La.'s runs scored came from a fielder's choice and the other run came off a RBI single by Mychal Truxillo.
The Cowgirls' defense came up big in the second inning when Whitney Sullivan led the inning off with a single and Amanda Livaudais reached on an error. Smith walked Katie Lacour to load the bases with no outs before being replaced by Trahan. Trahan got Jaquelyn Ramon to hit a grounder to Cowgirl shortstop
Taylor Goree who threw home for the force out. With the bases still loaded another ground out got the force at home to save a run from scoring and Trahan helped herself and the Cowgirls get out of the inning by getting Amber Sather to pop out to third baseman
Shanice Hagler for the third out.
"Jolie came into the game and got us out of a jam, this was a turning point in the game. She is tough as nails and we were confident in putting her in that situation, she has been doing it all year. We use our defense behind her and she knows that they are behind her to help her."
McNeese outhit SE La. 10-4 and was led by Piancastelli,
Marisa Taunton and
Justyce McClain who had two hits apiece.
In the first game, McNeese took the early 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Catron RBI that scored Piancastelli. Piancastelli reached base after being hit by a pitch.
The Cowgirls batted around in the third inning and opened the game up by scoring five runs on three hits to take a 6-1 lead. The Cowgirls got singles from Drew,
Megan Trahan and McClain along with three walks to help push the runs across the plate.
Jamie Allred (12-2) gave up her only run of the game in the sixth off a RBI single by Sather. Allred ended the game with eight strikeouts, her second most this season and gave up only one walk.
McNeese scored three more runs in the sixth to pick up their 10
th win of the season in run-rule fashion.
After Yanitor singled to right field to score Taunton, it was Goree who had the outstanding game on Friday night that came through with a two RBI double to left to end the game. Goree ended the game with three RBI.
McNeese will travel to nationally ranked LSU Tuesday for a single game beginning at 6 p.m.
