HAMMOND—McNeese softball advanced to the 2021 Southland Conference Tournament championship game here Friday with. 4-1 semifinal victory over regular season champs and tournament top seed Stephen F. Austin behind another solid pitching performance from freshman Whitney Tate.
 
McNeese will play the winner of Saturday's 11 a.m. game. The if necessary game will be played Sunday, May 16 at a time to be determined.
 
The Cowgirls (33-24), serving as the visiting team, struck real early in the game when leadoff batter Cori McCrary sent the fourth pitch of the game over the centerfield wall for a solo home run, her 10^th of the season to give the Cowgirls an early 1-0 lead. The home run by McCrary was the first extra base hit given up Kassidy Wilbur, the Southland Conference player and pitcher of the year in her last 60 innings.
 
The Cowgirls added a run in the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead. A two out single by Choe Gomez scored Alayis Seneca from second. Seneca singled up the middle with one out then stole second base to move into scoring position.
 
While the Cowgirls offense was providing Tate with run support, Tate was keeping SFA's offense who entered the game with a .301 team batting average.  
 
For the second straight game, Tate was masterful in the circle. She tossed five shutout innings, allowing only one hit in those five innings before giving up the only SFA run in the sixth inning.
 
With the complete game win Tate improved to 13-7 overall, allowed five hits, struck out five, and didn't allow a walk.
 
McNeese added two insurance runs in the seventh inning on a two out RBI triple by Haylee Brinlee to extend the Cowgirl lead to 4-1.
 
After McCrary was hit by a pitch, Jil Poullard reached on a bunt single to Wilbur. After attempting to get Poullard out at first base, McCrary headed for third base but the throw wasn't in time. In the meantime, Poullard advanced to second before Brinlee's triple cleared the bases.
 
SFA got a leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh inning from designated player Mackenzie Bennett but the Cowgirl defense held strong like they had the whole game to keep the runner stranded.
 
First baseman Tiffany Steczo snagged a hard-hit ball that would have potentially scored Bennett for the first out. Tate then got pinch hitter Alex Dubose to pop out to Tayler Strother at second base before the game ended with a grounder to Brinlee at third for the final out.
 
McNeese picked up nine hits against Wilbur (30-5) who lost for just the fifth time this season. The nine hits given up by Wilbur ties the most she has given up this season. She gave up nine hits in a season opening loss against Missouri State on Feb. 21.
 
Kaylee Lopez and Seneca led McNeese with two hits a piece while McCrary, Poullard, Brinlee, Gomez, and Strother all picking up on hit apiece.