WACO, Texas—McNeese committed a combined nine errors and let a 5-2 early lead slip away in a 6-5, eight inning loss in the opening game of a twinbill then dropped the nightcap 9-3 here Wednesday to 24^th ranked Baylor.
 
In the opener, McNeese (5-8) committed a season high six errors and let a 5-2 fifth inning lead slip away in its 6-5, eight inning loss to Baylor in the first game of a twinbill.
 
Junior Shanice Hagler and Morgan Catron led McNeese with two hits apiece and Hailey Drew knocked in two of the five Cowgirl runs.
 
McNeese scored two runs in their first at bat of the game when Erika Piancastelli and Morgan Catron drew back-to-back walks. Both players scored on a two RBI double to left center by Hailey for the 2-0 Cowgirl lead.
 
Baylor cut the McNeese lead in half (2-1) in the bottom of the inning after Kyla Walker stole third base then scored on a McNeese error in an attempt to throw Walker out at third.
 
McNeese got the run back and one more in the second inning. Shanice Hagler reached on a single to left then scored on an error for a 3-1 McNeese lead. Carleigh Chaumont extended the Cowgirl lead to 4-1 after reaching base on a single then scoring a single by Morgan Catron.
 
Baylor added a run in the second on one hit and the third Cowgirl error of the game. Lindsey Cargill reached on a fielder's choice, stole second and scored on the error to cut the lead to 4-2.
 
The Cowgirls extended their lead to 5-2 in the fifth on a run off a RBI single by Tori Yanitor that scored pinch runner JaMaiya Miller.
 
McNeese held Baylor scoreless in the bottom of the inning when catcher Aubree Turbeville tagged Cargill out at home then threw down to third to get Riley Browder for to end the Bear threat.
 
Baylor came back to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh on four walks and two Cowgirl errors to tie the game. With the bases loaded and the winning run on third, Smith got Maddison Kettler to fly out to right to send the game into extra innings.
 
After McNeese went down in order in the top of the eighth, Baylor loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning off Cowgirl reliever Alexsandra Flores before Ari Hawkins hit the game winning single to left field that scored Cargill for the 6-5 Baylor win.
 
Flores took the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year. Smith gave up five runs (three earned) on five hits in seven good innings. McNeese's defense committed six errors in the game.  
 
Baylor wasted no time getting on the board in the nightcap as Hawkins reached on a bunt single and came home to score on a three base error in the first inning. After a walk to Walker by Cowgirl starting pitcher Jolie Trahan, Shelby McGlaun hit her first career home run to give the Bears a 3-0 lead. Baylor added another run to take a 4-0 lead before chasing Trahan from the circle after giving up four runs on six hits in 2/3 of an inning.
 
Baylor scored a single run in the second to extend its lead to 5-0. McNeese avoided the shutout by scoring a run in the top of the third off an RBI double by Catron that scored Hagler.
 
Baylor scored four more runs over the last two innings and the Cowgirls scored two in the sixth on a RBI single by Justyce McClain and a solo home run by Catron, her third of the year.
 
Catron led McNeese on the day with five hits including a double and homerun in game two of the doubleheader.
 
Trahan falls to 2-2 on the year with the loss.
 
McNeese will return home Friday to host Tulsa in a single game beginning at 6 p.m.