LAKE CHARLES-- McNeese softball broke a 3-3 tie in the fifth inning with six runs to pick up a 9-3 Southland Conference opening series win against Abilene Christian here Friday night. The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.

"Anytime you get a win it feels good," said head coach James Landreneau. "The score doesn't really reflect the type of game it was. We did a good job of answering in the first inning but they also answered us as well. You have to tip your hat to Abilene, they are a good softball team, they swing the bats well and they were able to find ways to score runs."

Both teams used the long ball to score the first three runs of the game. ACU (7-15, 01 SLC) took the early lead on the second batter of the game when Briana Tijerina gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead on her first home run of the season. The ACU lead didn't last for long as Caylon Brabham's two-run home run in the bottom of the first put the Cowgirls (16-5, 1-0 SLC) up 2-1. It's Brabham's third homer of the season.

A wild pitch in the second inning allowed an ACU run to come home to tie the game at two apiece.

McNeese retook the lead (3-2) when Tayler Strother led the bottom of the third off with a double to right center then scored the go ahead run off a single up the middle by Alayis Seneca.

ACU got that run back in the fifth to tie it at three all when Tijerina led off with a triple and scored on a Samantha Bradley RBI.

McNeese batted around and broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with six runs on three hits including doubles by Strother and Alexandria Saldivar.

"I thought our team had some good bats early, we just put a good inning together. I'm proud of the kids for the way they were able to stick to the game plan and barrel up on some balls."

Alexsandra Flores held the Wildcats at bay for the final two innings, allowing one hit in the final two innings to improve to 4-2 on the year. Flores relieved starter Caroline Settle in the third inning and gave up one run on five hits and struck out three. Settle got off to a shaky start, allowing two earned runs on one hit with a walk, strikeout and a wild pitch.

Strother ended the game going 2 for 3 with two doubles, two RBI and scored one run. Kaylee Lopez also had two hits while Brabham and Saldivar also had two RBI apiece.
 
SCORING
T1- ACU took a 1-0 lead on a solo home run. ACU 1, McN 0
B1- McNeese takes the lead on a Caylon Brabham two-run home run. McN 2, ACU 1
T2- ACU tied the game on a wild pitch. McN 2, ACU 2
B3- Strother leads the inning off with a double and scores on a RBI single by Alayis Seneca. McN 3, ACU 3
T5- ACU ties the game followed by a leadoff triple by Briana Tijerina and a RBI single by Samantha Bradley. McN 3, ACU 3
B5- McNeese bats around and scores six runs. McN 9, ACU 3