LAKE CHARLES—For the second straight game and three days removed from defeating Lamar in walk-off fashion, McNeese softball picked up a 5-4, eight inning walk-off victory over Houston here Tuesday night to improve to 33-16 on the season. The loss drops Houston to 23-21 overall.
 
"This is a good win for us to build on," said head coach James Landreneau. "We showed resilience and kept fighting. We were taking tough pitches and getting good at bats but we were hitting the ball right at them and that's what I wanted to see from my team," Landreneau said.
 
In a game that went back and forth with each team allowing the other team to stay in the game, it was freshman Alexandria Saldivar who provided the game winning hit that scored Erika Piancastelli winning run. Piancastelli led the bottom of the eighth inning off with a triple down the right field line that went all the way to the wall.
 
"I thought Corbello came in and pitched a gem and then timely hitting by Piancastelli and Saldivar was key. We also had some good at bats to extend some innings today," said Landreneau.
 
Houston struck first by scoring one run in the first inning on a RBI single Shelby Miller. The Cowgirls countered with a two RBI home run by Piancastelli for a 2-1 lead. The long ball is Piancastelli's 11^th of the season.
 
McNeese took a 3-1 lead in the second on a RBI double by Justyce McClain that scored Taylor Schmidt who reached on an error.
 
Houston tied the game with two runs in the third on two hits and one Cowgirl error. One Cougar run came on a sacrifice fly and the other came off an error.
 
Both teams made pitching changes in the fourth inning with Houston replacing starter Trystan Melancon for Presley Bell and McNeese replacing starter Alexsandra Flores with Baylee Corbello. Both Bell and Corbello pitched effectively for three innings before each one gave up a run in the seventh to tie the game at four all.
 
Houston scored a run in the bottom of the seventh on an error to take a 4-3 lead but the Cowgirls took advantage of some Houston miscues as well in the bottom of the inning to send the game into extra innings. Schmidt reached on a muffed throw then was replaced by pinch runner JaMaiya Miller. A sac bunt by Lauren Brown moved Miller to second before going to third on a ground out by McClain. Miller tied the game at four on a wild pitch.
 
In the eighth inning, Corbello retired the first two batters she faced before giving up a back-to-back singles. Corbello would get Arielle James to go down swinging to end the threat, setting the stage for the Cowgirl comeback.
"Bell was a pretty good pitcher and I was just looking for a pitch to hit up the middle and that's what I did. I went up there not thinking of the situation but just focusing on getting a hit," said Saldivar.
 
Piancastelli and Saldivar both led McNeese with two hits apiece while Corbello improved to 9-3 on the year with the win. Corbello gave up one unearned run on four hits, struck out five and didn't allow a walk.
 
McNeese will conclude its seven game home stand this weekend by hosting Stephen F. Austin in a three game series. A single game is set for 6 p.m. Friday with a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday. Saturday will also be senior day for Marisa Taunton, Taylor Schmidt, Rachel Smith, Tori Yanitor and Baylee Corbello.