SAN ANTONIO, Texas—McNeese softball picked up a season high 13 hits and got solid pitching from
Ashley Vallejo and
Saleen Flores in its 6-3 non-conference win over UTSA here Wednesday night to extend its winning streak to four games.
The Cowgirls will play at Incarnate Word this weekend in a three-game Southland Conference series beginning with a 5 p.m. doubleheader Friday night.
McNeese (23-21) scored single runs in the first four innings then added two more in the fifth to take a 6-0 lead. UTSA fell to 11-21 on the year with the loss.
Every Cowgirl starter picked up at least one hit in the game with
Toni Perrin leading the way with a 3-for-4 plate appearance. Perrin missed hitting for the cycle by a triple. She led the scoring off with her first home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Perrin singled in the third inning then started the fifth inning off with a double.
Cori McCrary and
Tiffany Steczo recorded two hits apiece with the other Cowgirls all picking up one hit apiece.
Caleigh Cross put the Cowgirls up 2-0 in the second inning with a RBI through the left side. A RBI single to short by Poullard in the third extended the lead to 3-0. The Cowgirls took a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning on a RBI single to center by McCrary.
Two more runs in the fifth in a
Haylee Brinlee two run home run gave McNeese a 6-0 lead. The home run by Brinlee is her sixth of the season.
Cowgirl starter
Ashley Vallejo was flawless through the first 4 1/3 innings and the defense behind her was just as good helping her preserve a no-hitter until UTSA's Taylor Medina broke up the no-hitter and shutout with a solo home run with one out in the fifth inning.
Vallejo got into a jam in the sixth inning and was replaced by
Saleen Flores after giving up another run to cut the Cowgirl lead to four runs.
Flores got the Cowgirls out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning by striking out the first two batters she faced then got Boring to ground out to Brinlee at third to end the threat. Flores came out in the bottom of the seventh and retired the first two batters she faced before giving up her first hit of the game, a solo home run to straight away centerfield by Celeste Loughman. She gave up another single before Brinlee scooped up a grounder at third and threw to Steczo at first to end the game.
Vallejo picked up the win to improve to 5-6 on the year. Vallejo and Flores combined to give up five hits in the game. Vallejo gave up two runs on three hits, three walks and struck out five in 5.0 innings. Flores gave up one run on two hits with two strike outs in 2.0 innings.
