THIBODAUX—McNeese softball clinched the outright Southland Conference regular season title here Saturday with a 3-0 win over Nicholls to complete the series sweep. The title is the seventh regular season title and the first since 2017.
 
McNeese (35-19, 15-3 SLC) will head to next week's conference tournament in Hammond as the No. 1 seed and will open tournament play at 11 a.m., Wednesday, May 13. The Cowgirls will play the winner of the game 1 winner between the No. 4 and No. 5 seed.
 
After four scoreless innings, the Cowgirls put up three runs off two hits in the fifth and that's all the Cowgirls would need to pick up the win.
 
Pinch runner Reese Reyna stole home for the first Cowgirl run of the game before a two RBI single by Kaylee Lopez scored Jill Poullard and Josie Willingham for the 3-0 lead.
 
Ashley Vallejo (16-7) was lights out in the circle once again, picking up her second win of the series to end the regular season undefeated at 9-0 with five shutouts in league play. Vallejo allowed only two hits and struck out three in her 16^th complete game of the season. Vallejo ended the series with a 2-0 record, allowed one (unearned) run with nine strikeouts in 14 innings.
 
At the plate, McNeese outhit Nicholls 6-2 with Lopez going 2 for 3, one double and two RBI. Crislyne Moreno had the only other extra base hit in the game for McNeese with a double in the fourth inning.
 
 
SCORING
T5- Pinch runner Reese Reyna stole home (McN 1, Nich 0)
T5- Lopez singles through the left side, two RBI (McN 3, Nich 0)