LAKE CHARLES – Gracie Devall's bases loaded fielder's choice in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Chloe Gomez to lift McNeese to a 4-3 win over the University of Alabama-Birmingham to cap off Saturday's action of The Evangeline Bank and Trust Invitational. McNeese began its day with a 6-0 shutout win over Tulsa behind Ashley Vallejo's two-hitter.
"Our team was resilient," said head coach James Landreneau. "We talk about being relentless all the time and when things didn't go our way, we found ways to regain the momentum. I'm proud of our effort and our composure. For a young team that shows maturity."
McNeese (3-0) took a quick 2-0 lead against Tulsa in the first frame. An RBI by Alayis Seneca and a squeeze bunt by Kaylee Lopez brought Kendall Talley and Jil Poullard home.
Four more Cowgirls scored runs on three hits in the fourth inning putting the Cowgirls up 6-0. The Cowgirls continued their drive with Josie Willingham and Seneca picking up RBIs and Talley stealing home for the final runs of the game, increasing the McNeese lead.
Willingham led the Cowgirls at the plate, going 3 for 3 with one RBI and one run scored.
Ashley Vallejo was masterful in the circle in her first win and shutout of the season, allowing only two hits- a single in the fifth and a single in the seventh. Vallejo ended the game with five strikeouts with only two walks.
In the nightcap, UAB was first to put runs on the scoreboard off two RBIs in the top of the third. The Cowgirls responded with Poullard hitting a RBI triple to bring Talley home.
The intensity increased into the fourth inning as the Cowgirls defense kept the Blazers from scoring any runs and tied the game at two apiece off a RBI bunt by Toni Perrin.
The Blazers opened the sixth with a RBI and the Cowgirls matched the run in the bottom of the frame. Following a leadoff single to center by Alayis Seneca, pinch runner Erin Ardoin stole second but an errant throw by UAB's catcher sailed into the outfield allowing Ardoin to score to tie the game at three apiece.
Neither team was able to push a run across the plate in the seventh, sending the game into extra innings.
An attempted triple to lead off the nineth by the Blazers was halted by a perfect Cowgirl relay that was started by Seneca in right field and ended with Jil Poullard making the tag at third.
The Cowgirls defensive effort intensified for the next two batters with a fly out to left field and a Blazer was caught stealing second to end the top half of the inning before Devall's walk off game winning fielder's choice.
Gomez got things started in the bottom of the ninth with a single to center. Kennedy Reynolds reached on an error and Toni Perrin was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Devall came up to bat.
Pitcher Shaelyn Saunders, in her McNeese debut earned her first Cowgirl win after relieving starting pitcher Olivia Johnson in the fifth inning. Saunders pitched four innings, allowing one run on four hits.
"The game against UAB was an exciting game for opening weekend. There were a lot of big plays and a lot of momentum shifts in this game.," said Landreneau.
The Cowgirls will close out The Evangeline Bank and Trust Invitational I Sunday February 13 at 12 p.m. against North Texas followed by 2:30 p.m. game against Texas Southern.
