SAN ANTONIO, Texas— Junior shortstop Hailey Drew hit two home runs and accounted for four RBI here Saturday in McNeese's 8-3 Southland Conference softball win against Incarnate Word to complete the series sweep over the Cardinals. The sweep is the third straight for the Cowgirls and the first conference series sweep of the season.
 
McNeese (22-11, 9-0 SLC) picked up 11 hits and got another good outing from senior pitcher Rachel Smith. Smith had a one-hit shutout going until the sixth inning. She improves to 7-5 with the win after giving up three runs on five hits, one walk and six strikeouts.
 
Drew led the Cowgirls hitting attack, going 3-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI and scored three runs. Erika Piancastelli and Tori Yanitor both had two hits apiece.
 
McNeese wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard by scoring two runs in the first inning. A sacrifice fly by Baylee Corbello scored Drew for a 1-0 lead. Drew reached base on a UIW fielding error to start the game. Drew went to third on a double to right field by Piancastelli before Corbello's RBI sac fly. The Cowgirls took a 2-0 lead on a RBI single by Yanitor that scored Piancastelli.
 
The Cowgirls added a run in the third inning off a leadoff solo homerun by Piancastelli, her seventh of this season for a 3-0 lead.
 
Corbello picked up another RBI to give McNeese a 4-0 lead in the fourth. Corbello drew a bases loaded walk that scored JaMaiya Miller. The Cowgirls missed an opportunity to add more runs in the inning after leaving the bases loaded.
 
Drew broke the game open in the fifth with a three run home run that gave McNeese a 7-0 lead. Pinch hitter Marisa Taunton started things off for the Cowgirls with a lead off single down the left field line. A Lauren Brown fielder's choice moved Taunton to second base before Drew cleared the bases with her third home run of the season.
 
Smith was cruising in the circle before running into a little control problem in the sixth inning. Incarnate Word used timely hitting, a few walks by Smith and a couple Cowgirl miscues to score three runs in the inning to cut the McNeese lead to 7-3.
 
McNeese got one run back the following inning when Drew struck again with her second long ball of the game and fourth on the season with a solo homer to centerfield for an 8-3 lead.
 
Smith opened the seventh inning by retiring UIW's first two batters before giving up a single to the speedy Danielle Ramirez. Ramirez attempted to move into scoring position but was thrown out by Cowgirl catcher Aubree Turbeville to end the game.