LAFAYETTE—McNeese softball rallied from a 7-3 deficit after six innings to score three runs in the seventh to tie the game at seven apiece, only to fall 8-7 in extra innings to No. 7 UL-Lafayette here Wednesday night.
McNeese (3-7) gave up three runs in the first inning aided by two errors to allow the Cajuns (6-0) the jump out to the early lead.
The Cowgirls scored their first runs of the game in the third inning on a two RBI triple up the middle by
Caylon Brabham, a UL-Lafayette transfer. Starting pitcher
Whitney Tate reached base on a Cajun error and
Aaliyah Ortiz drew a walk. Both players scored on Brabham's triple to cut the lead to 3-2.
Freshman
Chloe Gomez picked a good time to hit her first collegiate homerun to tie the game at three apiece with a solo homerun to left field in the fifth inning. The hit was her only hit of the game.
The tie didn't last long as the Cajuns scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
With Cajuns on second and third, Justice Milz singled to left scoring both runners for a 6-3 lead then the next batter, Jade Gortarez homered to left for two more runs and a 7-3 Cajun lead.
Cori McCrary, another UL-Lafayette transfer belted her first homerun of the season in the top of the sixth to cut the Cajun lead 7-4.
After Cowgirl Tate got the Cajuns out in order in the bottom of the sixth, McNeese rallied to score three runs in the seventh inning to send the game into extra innings.
Haylee Brinlee got her first homerun of the season with a one out solo homerun to left. Brabham then doubled down the right field line before
Kennedy Reynolds struck out swinging for the second out. McCrary then doubled to right center to score Brabham to pull McNeese to within one run (7-6).
Alayis Seneca came through with a single to centerfield to score McCrary to tie the game at seven all. McNeese left Seneca stranded on first base when
Jil Poullard struck out for the third out.
Kyleigh Sand led the bottom of the seventh off by reaching base on a Cowgirl error but Tate got Julie Rawls to line out to center, struck out Milz before Sand was put out at second on a fielder's choice to send the game into extra innings.
The Cajuns took advantage of a Cowgirl error in the eighth inning when Carrie Boswell reached on a fielder's choice then advanced to second on a Cowgirl error before Alissa Dalton's game winning RBI scored Boswell for the win.
McNeese outhit the Cajuns 12-8 with three of the 12 Cowgirl hits coming off homeruns. The Cowgirl defense committed five errors including two in the first and eighth inning.
McCrary and Seneca both led McNeese with three hits apiece. McCrary ended the game with a homerun and a double while Brabham had two hits on the night, both were extra base hits.
Tate suffered her third loss of the season to fall to 0-3 after allowing four earned runs on six hits with three walks, two strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings.
Flores gave up two hits and two runs in the two batters she faced.
Dalton led the Cajuns with two hits.
McNeese will continue its road trip with a three-game series at No. 22 Central Florida beginning with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Friday. The series will conclude with a single game at 1 p.m. Saturday. The entire series will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Cowgirls will close out their Florida swing at No. 6 Florida on Sunday.
