LAKE CHARLES—McNeese freshman
Whitney Tate was nearly perfect Friday night in the Cowgirls' 3-0 Southland Conference series opening win over Northwestern State that clinched a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament.
The Demons (20-18, 14-9 SLC) evened the series with a 3-2 win in the nightcap. The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. rubber game Saturday.
Prior to Saturday's game, McNeese (27-23, 16-8 SLC) will honor its 2020 seniors and following the game, the 2021 seniors will be honored.
Tate had a perfect game going for the first six innings until she allowed her first hit of the game to Northwestern State's leadoff batter EC Delafield on a single through the right side of the infield.
Two batters later, Tate gave up her second hit of the game but held the Demons scoreless, ending a masterful performance in the circle to preserve her fourth shutout of the season.
McNeese took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a leadoff solo home run by
Haylee Brinlee. The home run is her second in as many games and it ties her with
Cori McCrary for a team high eight on the season.
Brinlee struck again in the fourth inning when her double down the left field line scored pinch runner
Padyn Williams from second base for the 2-0 lead.
Kaylee Lopez provided the third Cowgirl run of the game with a single up the middle that scored
Jil Poullard for the 3-0 lead.
Tate allowed the two hits and struck out one batter to improve to 9-7 on the year with the win.
In the nightcap, the Demons took an early 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings before pinch hitter
Aaliyah Ortiz's RBI sacrifice fly scored
Alayis Seneca to cut the NW State lead in half. The Cowgirls had a chance to put more runs on the board earlier in the inning with the bases loaded but NW State's shortstop threw Brinlee out at home with the bases loaded and no outs.
NW State took a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning on three hits including a RBI single to right field by Cayla St. Clair that scored Taylor Williams. Williams led the inning off with a single through the right side.
Cowgirl reliever
Jenna Edwards did a good job of holding NW State scoreless after the Demons played small ball to get a runner on third with one out. Edwards would retire nine of the last 10 batters she faced in the game giving the Cowgirls offense a chance to either tie or win the game.
McNeese did score one run in the fifth inning to cut the lead to 3-2 but Delafield was just as good in the circle for NW State in latter innings. She would end the game retiring the final seven batters she faced to seal the win.
McCrary, Lopez, and Steczo all led McNeese with two hits apiece in the game and St. Clair led NW State with three hits.
Saleen Flores took the loss to fall to 5-8 overall. Flores gave up two earned runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings. Edwards allowed one run on four hits in 5 1/3 innings of relief.
Delafield improved to 9-3 on the season with the complete game victory. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits with four strike outs.
