HAMMOND—Another outstanding pitching performance by a Cowgirl starter in the second game of the day Thursday at the Southland Conference Tournament.
 
Whitney Tate put forth a solid performance as the Cowgirls held on for a 6-5 win over no. 2 seed Central Arkansas. The win advances the Cowgirls to semifinal round and they will play the winner of regular season champion and top seed Stephen F. Austin and no. 4 seed Northwestern State at 4 p.m. Friday.
 
Not only was Tate (12-7) impressive in her pitching performance but she fielded her position very well several times during the game, coming up with big grabs that saved base hits. In her 5.0 innings of work, Tate allowed only two runs, four hits, picked up one strike out and walked one batter.
 
McNeese took the early lead with two runs in the second inning off a Chloe Gomez double to left centerfield that scored Tiffany Steczo from first base. Steczo reached base on a fielder's choice. McNeese then took advantage of two UCA errors that allowed Gomez to cross the plate for a 2-0 lead.
 
UCA picked up their first hit of the game with a bunt single by Tremere Harris that landed between Tate and Gomez by. Prior to that hit, Tate had retired the previous seven UCA batters.  Harris stole both second and third base but Tate got the next two batters to ground out including a come backer to her in the circle to get out of the inning.
 
The Bears scored their first run of the game in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Cylla Hill.  
 
Tate got into a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning but also got herself out the jam when the Cowgirls nearly turned a triple play. Tate got a line drive back to her, tossed to Haylee Brinlee at third base for the second out and Brinlee fired it to Steczo at first but the throw didn't get there in time. Tate got the next batter to ground out back to her to get out of the inning, leaving the bases loaded.
 
The Cowgirls extended their lead to 6-1 with three runs on three hits in the sixth inning including a two RBI double to left centerfield by Tayler Strother and a RBI single to right by Gomez.
 
UCA answered with two runs in the sixth inning to cut the lead to 6-3. After Tate gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth, she was replaced by Ashley Vallejo. Vallejo got the first batter she faced to pop out for the first out before giving up a walk to put runners on first and second. After striking out Morgan Nelson, a two RBI double to left centerfield by Kristen Whitehouse cut the Cowgirl lead in half. After another single that moved, Vallejo got out of the inning with a ground out to Brinlee at third.
 
Kaylee Lopez led the seventh off with a single and pinch runner Padyn Williams moved into scoring position with a stolen base with two outs but the Cowgirls left her stranded to head to the bottom of the seventh.
 
Saleen Flores was handed the ball in the circle in the bottom of the seventh inning to get the final three outs of the game. UCA made things interesting when the Bears took advantage of two Cowgirl errors that allowed UCA to score two runs to get within one run, 6-5 with two outs. Flores struck out Nelson, who represnted the tying run to end the game, picking up her third save of the season.
 
McNeese ended the game with nine hits and was led by two apiece from Perrin, Alayis Seneca, and Gomez. All three players had a double in the game.
 
UCA scattered seven hits in the game and was led by Mary Kate Brown and Whitehouse, who both had two hits apiece.
 
Jordan Johnson fell to 11-8 on the year with the loss. Johnson gave up three runs on five hits in 3.0 innings. Kayla Beaver relieved Johnson and allowed three runs on four hits in 4.0 innings.