MOBILE, Ala.—McNeese softball split its games here Saturday on the second day of the South Alabama Mardi Gras Invitational. The Cowgirls picked up a 7-1 win over Butler before dropping a 1-0, eight inning game to South Alabama. McNeese will conclude tournament play against Murray State at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
McNeese (5-5) opened the game against Butler with a 6-0 lead with a single run coming in the first and inning and five more in the second.
Erika Piancastelli led the game off with a walk and later scored on a wild pitch.
The Cowgirls increased their lead to 6-0 in the second with five runs on three hits and one Butler error. A two RBI single to centerfield by
Morgan Catron and RBI singles by
Tori Yanitor and
Carleigh Chaumont accounted for four of the five runs. The Cowgirls got their other run off a Butler error.
Chaumont led a Cowgirl six hit game with two hits and two RBI.
Jolie Trahan won her second straight game in as many outings to improve to 2-1 on the year. Trahan gave up five hits, one earned run, walked three and struck out two in the complete game.
McNeese missed a chance to score first in the fifth against South Alabama (8-1) when
Marisa Taunton walked with one out, stole second and went to third on an error. Taunton was stranded on third after
Erika Piancastelli popped up to the catcher and Catron flew out to center to end the threat.
The Cowgirls had two chances to score in the seventh but South Alabama came up with two perfect throws. Chaumont struck out swinging but advanced to first on a throwing error by the South Alabama catcher. A double by
Rachel Smith sent pinch runner
Lauren Brown to second and Brown was thrown out at third attempting to stretch the play.
Marisa Taunton singled to centerfield and pinch runner was thrown out at home for the third out.
South Alabama had the game winning run on second after Haleigh Lowe singled through the left side and advanced to second on a pass ball but Smith got out of the inning on a fielder's choice to send the game into extra innings.
In the extra inning, McNeese left Piancastelli stranded on third after she drew a leadoff walk, Piancastelli went to second on an error the she and pinch runner
Megan Trahan advanced to second and third on a double steal. Once again the Cowgirls failed to push a run across home plate after a
Hailey Drew strikeout ended the top half of the inning.
South Alabama won the game in the bottom of the eighth when M. Nichols led the inning off with a single and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Kristian Foster. Abby Krzywiechki was intentionally walk then Smith struck out Amanda Minahan for the first out. Smith gave up a walk to Haleigh Lane that loaded the bases before Savanna Mayo's game winning single to right field scored Nichols to end the game.
The Cowgirls picked up three hits and left eight runners stranded and twice left a runner stranded on third with one out. Taunton was 2 for 2 and Smith picked up the other hit, a double
In the top of the seventh. Smith took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year, pitching the entire game and giving up four hits, struck out four and walked eight.
Four different players picked up at least one hit for the Jaquars with Devin Brown (4-1) picking up the win in the circle. Brown also went the distance and struck out 12 while giving up six walks.
