HAMMOND---Playing through a pandemic, two hurricanes that crippled the Lake Charles community in August and September along with an unusual ice storm in February, McNeese softball overcome all that adversity and is bringing the 2021 Southland Conference Softball Tournament Championship title to a city that still needs to be uplifted. The Cowgirls punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 win over Central Arkansas Saturday.
 
"The feeling right now is so hard to describe," said head coach James Landreneau. "There are so many things that go into making this happen but the main thing is to be able to take this championship back to our community after everything that has happened to our city this year."
 
The game was a pitcher dual between Cowgirl starter Jenna Edwards and UCA starter Jordan Johnson until the Cowgirls broke a scoreless game with a run in the third on a double to left field by Kaylee Lopez that scored Jil Poullard from second.
 
UCA threatened to score in the sixth inning when the Bears put the first two runners on base after Edwards walked the leadoff batter. After being replaced by Whitney Tate, the tournament's MVP, Tate walked the first batter she face to put runners on first and second. The Cowgirl defense, who leads the nation in double plays, turned their 42 of the year to get the first two outs. Tate then got Tremere Harris to hit a grounder to out to get out of the inning.
 
Tate ended a spectacular tournament by picking up the save after getting the Bears out in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.
 
Edwards picked up the win to improve to 9-2 on the year after five shutout innings and giving up four hits. Tate picked up her third save of the year by pitching the final two innings.
 
The Cowgirls had only two hits in the game with the other one coming from Perrin's leadoff single to short in the second inning.
 
Joining Tate on the all-tournament team was third baseman Haylee Brinlee, designated player Kaylee Lopez, shortstop Cori McCrary, outfielder Toni Perrin, and pitcher Jenna Edwards.
 
The Cowgirls will find out where and who they will play during the NCAA Tournament selection show on Sunday, May 16 at 8 p.m. central time on ESPN2, on DirecTV (Ch. 209), on Dish (channel 143) and online at ESPN.com/watch.
 
 
2021 Southland Softball All-Tournament Team

Name	Institution	Cl.	Pos.	Hometown
Kayla Beaver	Central Arkansas	R-Fr.	P	Jackson, Tenn.
Mary Kate Brown	Central Arkansas	R-Fr.	2B	Atkins, Ark.
Cylla Hill	Central Arkansas	R-Sr.	3B	Henryetta, Okla.
Kaylyn Shepherd	Central Arkansas	R-Sr.	1B	Mechanicsville, Va.
Kristen Whitehouse	Central Arkansas	Fr.	SS	Moore, Okla.
Haylee Brinlee	McNeese	So.	3B	Rosepine, La.
Jenna Edwards	McNeese	Sr.	P	Winchester, Ken.
Kaylee Lopez	McNeese	So.	UTIL	Indian Bayou, La.
Cori McCrary	McNeese	Sr.	SS	McCarley, Miss.
Toni Perrin	McNeese	Sr.	OF	Reserve, La.
Whitney Tate*	McNeese	Fr.	P	Columbia, La.
Mackenzie Bennett	Stephen F. Austin	Jr.	INF	Santee, Calif.

  
 
Key Innings
B1- Cowgirls left McCrary stranded on third base after she reached base after being hit by a pitch, stole second and went to third on a ground out by Kaylee Lopez.
 
T2- The Cowgirls defense especially Haylee Brinlee came up big in the inning after UCA had runners on second and third but Brinlee recorded all three outs to keep the Bears from scoring
 
B2- For the second straight inning, the Cowgirls left a runner stranded at third base when Toni Perrin led off with a single to short then moved into scoring position on a ground out by Alayis Seneca. Perrin stole third but was stranded after an infield pop out by Tiffany Steczo before Chloe Gomez grounded out to third base.
 
B3- Cowgirls break a scoreless game with a two out double to left centerfield by Kaylee Lopez that scored Jil Poullard from second base. Poullard drew a walk and stole second go move into scoring position.
 
T6- UCA threatened in the top of the sixth when the Bears had runners on first on second on back-to-back walks issued by starter Jenna Edwards. Edwards was replaced by Whitney Tate and she walked the first batter she faced. The Cowgirls defense then turned their 42^nd double play of the year for the first two outs then Tate got Tremere Harris to hit a grounder back to her for the third out to end the threat.