MOBILE, Ala.—McNeese ended the South Alabama Mardi Gras Invitational with a 13-5 run-rule loss at the hands of Murray State here Sunday. The Cowgirls ended tournament action with a 2-2 record. Senior outfielder Marisa Taunton was named to the all-tournament team after hitting .500 with five hits, one double, one RBI, scored three runs and stole five of five bases.
 
McNeese hurlers Baylee Corbello, Alexsandra Flores and Jolie Trahan struggled from the circle throughout the game and the Cowgirls didn't help their cause by committing five errors.
 
Murray State (8-2) took an early 5-0 lead after three innings with Corbello giving up all five runs on four hits before being replace in the third inning by Flores. Flores kept Murray State in check for the most part while the Cowgirls made a comeback to tie the game in the sixth.
 
McNeese (5-6) began chipping away at the lead in the fourth by scoring three runs to cut the lead to 5-3. An RBI single by Hailey Drew plated Carleigh Chaumont who reached base on an error. Corbello's two RBI single to right field brought Drew and Marisa Taunton home for the other two Cowgirl runs.
 
The Cowgirls added a single run in the fifth inning to bring McNeese to within one run (5-4). Taylor Schmidt led the inning off with a double to left. After a walk to Erika Piancastelli, Morgan Catron singled to center to load the bases. A fielder's choice by Chaumont scored pinch runner Brenique Wright. The Cowgirls failed to add more runs as Taunton grounded out to first to end the top half of the fifth.
 
Flores got McNeese back on offense after disposing Murray State quickly in the bottom of the inning. After Joycelynn Rogers reached on a Cowgirl error, Flores struck out Glass, got Cayla Levins to fly out and struck out Leah Kesel.
 
McNeese kept its momentum going in the sixth and tied the game at five runs apiece. Drew and Corbello pickup up back-to-back singles to start the inning. A sacrifice bunt by Flores moved both players to second and third. Schmidt's ground out scored Drew to tie the game at five all.
 
Flores opened the sixth by giving up a walk then a single to the first two batters. With one out, Twaddle doubled to centerfield for the go ahead run as Murray State took a 6-5 lead and chased Flores from the circle and replaced by Jolie Trahan. Trahan then gave up a three run homerun to Taylor Odom, the first batter she faced as Murray State extended its lead to 9-5. The Racers would go on to score four more runs to blow the game open with a 13-5  lead and the win in six innings. Trahan gave up five runs on three hits in 1/3 innings. Corbello took the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year.
 
The Cowgirls picked up eight hits with Drew, Corbello and Schmidt picking up two apiece.
 
McNeese will return to the diamond on Tuesday when they travel to Waco, Texas to face Baylor in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.
 
Mardi Gras Invitational All-Tournament Team
Devin Brown, South Alabama
Haleigh Lowe, South Alabama
MC Nichols, South Alabama
Kristian Foster, South Alabama
Brenna Finck, Murray State
Jessica Twaddle, Murray State
Marisa Taunton, McNeese State
Jenna Foreman, Butler