LAKE CHARLES— McNeese softball advanced in the winners' bracket of the 2018 Southland Conference Tournament with an 8-2 win over second seed Stephen F. Austin Wednesday. The Cowgirls will face top seed Nicholls at 11 a.m. Thursday.
 
"Its good to see our team perform at a high level today," said head coach James Landreneau. "We came out and played some good defense. Caroline Settle did a good job from the beginning of the game setting the tempo. After the first inning she was able to command both sides of the plate and was able to change speeds. We knew it was going to be a tough battle but we were able to get some timely hitting," Landreneau said.
 
McNeese (38-19), serving as the visiting team opened up the scoring in the top of the second inning with a RBI single by Tayler Strother to score pinch runner Shelbi Strickland.
 
Stephen F. Austin (31-21) matched the score to even the game at one apiece in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run by Margarita Corona.
 
The Cowgirls regained the lead in the third with two runs on an Alexandria Saldivar single and a SFA error for a 3-1 lead. SFA cut the lead to one run, 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the third.
 
Cather Aubree Turbeville gave McNeese a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning with a solo home run, her second home run this season.
 
After two scoreless innings, McNeese put up four runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by RBI double to left center by senior pinch hitter Shanice Hagler and a three run home run by senior Morgan Catron that went over the scoreboard to give McNeese an 8-2 lead. 
 
The Cowgirls picked up eight hits with two coming from Saldivar and Turbeville with two apiece. Catron ended the game with three RBI while Lauren Brown scored two runs.
 
Settle improved to 9-6 with the complete game victory after giving up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and one walk.