LAKE CHARLES— On a night when McNeese senior Justyce McClain became the Cowgirls career hit leader with a single in the third inning for her 254^th career hit to surpass All-American Erika Piancastelli, the opening game against Nicholls in the Southland Conference series between two of the league's top two teams didn't disappoint.

The series will conclude with a 12 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.

It was only fitting that the game came down to the bottom of the seventh inning in what is always a dog fight between the two teams.

Nicholls (27-17, 16-3 SLC) came out swinging in the first inning and took a 2-0 lead on three hits and one Cowgirl error.

Nicholls pitcher Megan Landry (21-9) shut the Cowgirls down in the first two innings, retiring the first seven batters she faced before Sara Geier's single up the middle in the third inning broke up the no-hitter.

Toni Perrin was then hit by a pitch and McClain's career hit single to pitcher Landry loaded the bases. Cori McCrary's sacrifice fly to right field scored Geier to cut the Nicholls lead to 2-1.

While Landry was dealing in the circle for Nicholls, Cowgirl pitcher Caroline Settle was just as effective in the circle for the Cowgirls after Nicholls scored the two runs in the first inning.

After the two Nicholls run, Settle retired nine of the next 10 batters she faced. She allowed only one hit during that span.

McNeese (23-24, 14-5 SLC) missed a chance to tie the game at two all in the fourth inning with no outs. Demi Boudreaux led the inning off with a double to left center then pinch runner Taylor Edwards advanced to third on a sac bunt by Kaylee Lopez. Landry helped her cause by snagging a line drive from Alayis Seneca for the second out in what would have been a single up the middle had she not caught it. Landry got out of the inning when she got Aubree Turbeville to fly out to center to end inning.

Nicholls added another run in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead on a two out single through the right side by Caitlin Garcia that scored Kasey Frederick. Frederick led the inning off with a single to right field.

After Settle retired Nicholls in order in the top of the seventh, the Cowgirls led the bottom of the inning off with back-to-back hits from Seneca and Turbeville. A sac bunt moved both players up one base to put Seneca on third and pinch runner freshman Gracie Devall on second to represent the tying run.

After a fly out to left field by pinch hitter Alexandria Saldivar for the second out, Toni Perrin singled through the left side to score Seneca to cut the lead to 3-2 but Devall missed the stop sign by head coach James Landreneau rounding third and was caught in a run-down on the relay between third and home. Amanda Gianelloni, Nicholls shortstop tagged Devall out before reaching home to end the game.